Optimum Perspectives

Southampton-based Curve Therapeutics recently raised a hefty £40m in a Series A financing round.

In this in-depth podcast, CEO Simon Kerry describes how investors fell in love with Curve’s “Microcycle” based discovery platform, which gives the company “the ability to potentially identify drugs against very difficult, challenging targets”.

He explains how Curve’s platform enables them to spot drugs with a higher chance of working in real-world conditions. He also outlines the firm’s lead programme – which aims to block two cancer targets called Hypoxia Inducible Factors, or “HIFs”, which enable solid tumours to survive in low-oxygen conditions.

Speaking to Optimum’s Stephen Adams, Simon ponders the role of luck in securing investment, both “the kind you deserve because you turn over a lot of stones”, and the more fortuitous variety.