Technology

Deciphera’s technology platform, Phylomechanics, provides the basis for the discovery and development of kinase switch pocket inhibitors. Through this novel approach, drug candidates have been developed which exhibit superior kinase inhibitory profiles and which provide cancer and immunology therapies in areas of high unmet medical needs.

A large number of kinases are physiologically regulated by a mechanism that involves regions on the protein known as “switch control” pockets. These pockets control the shape and activity state of protein kinases. Malfunction of the switch control mechanism results in unregulated activity of the protein with serious consequences such as cancer, chronic inflammation, immunological disorders, and metabolic disorders. Blocking the switch control pockets with Deciphera drug candidates has resulted in a pipeline of novel therapeutic agents against leukemias, invasive cancers, gliomas, melanoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, gastric cancers, breast cancers, bone metastases, and autoimmune diseases.

Switch control pockets are different among kinases. These differences provide the opportunity to design drug candidates with unprecedented and unique selectivity profiles. Deciphera has made use of this switch pocket diversity to develop highly selective inhibitors of cMET, TIE2, B-RAF, C-RAF, cKIT, cFMS, PDGFR, p38, FLT3 and other kinases. In addition to providing narrow spectrum inhibitors for oncology indications, highly selective inhibitors can also be developed for other chronic indications where selectivity is highly desired.

Utilizing its Phylomechanics technology, Deciphera has identified small molecule leads for over 50 kinase targets, and has developed a mature pipeline of therapeutic agents. Deciphera has submitted over 120 patent applications worldwide, and currently holds ten issued patents.