TwoStep
TwoStep Therapeutics is pioneering a multi-targeting platform to advance a pipeline of targeted therapies that are broadly applicable to any solid tumor.
Challenge
How do you best launch Nobel Laureate Carolyn Bertozzi’s newest company focused on overcoming limitations of existing approaches to transform cancer treatment?
Approach
TwoStep Therapeutics is advancing a therapeutic pipeline of solid tumor-targeting therapies, with an initial focus on targeted cytotoxic drug delivery and immunotherapy.
Solid tumors, which account for approximately 90% of all cancers, have been historically challenging to treat due to a scarcity of extracellular targets that meet the criteria for effective treatment delivery.
While tumor-targeted therapies have begun to transform the treatment paradigm for hematological malignancies, their viability in solid tumors has been limited to small subsets of patients with high levels of specific tumor markers.
This presents a critical unmet need – and vast therapeutic opportunity – to develop a tumor-targeted approach that can viably treat the majority of solid tumors.
TwoStep Therapeutics’ delivery platform is built around a unique tumor-targeting polyspecific integrin-binding peptide (PIP) that can selectively bind several targets that are highly expressed on solid tumors.
This multi-targeting feature enables the agent’s broad applicability to a wide range of tumor types and patient populations, overcoming the limitations of single-antigen targeting approaches.
We partnered with the TwoStep team to share their unique approach and awareness that the development of the company’s solid tumor-focused platform was driven by the combined expertise of its founding team in chemical biology, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and immuno-oncology.
The founders established in vivo proof of concept of its multi-targeted agent using various therapeutic payloads and fusion proteins in the academic labs of its co-founders, and later within the Stanford Innovative Medicines Accelerator (IMA). It is the first company to emerge from the IMA entrepreneur-in-residence program.
“With its ability to carry diverse payloads and versatility to any kind of solid tumor, TwoStep’s tumor-targeting technology has the makings of a powerful and attractive tool for a wide array of tumors that have been historically difficult to treat.”
Carolyn Bertozzi – Nobel Laureate and co-founder of TwoStep Therapeutics
Impact
The core messaging work resulted in this launch press release and Thermal’s strategic approach to messaging and exclusive embargo media outreach earned a feature, launch story in Endpoints News and a follow-on feature in GEN.
Our additional support across brand and social media completed a solid storytelling foundation, increasing the industry’s awareness and understanding of the company’s multi-targeting platform.
“Our initial focus at TwoStep is to couple our tumor-targeting technology with clinically-validated payloads, which has the potential to extend the benefits of paradigm-shifting therapies to a greater number of patients.”
Caitlyn Miller – Co-founder and CEO of TwoStep Therapeutics
