Kairos Discovery is developing a second generation of kinase inhibitors: a reinvented approach to better fight cancers.
The advent of protein kinase inhibitors , such as Glivec® , has profoundly transformed cancer treatment, offering patients alternatives that are better tolerated than conventional chemotherapy. However, these therapies face a fundamental limitation : they only contain the disease without eradicating it , and their effectiveness diminishes over time. This is due to a mechanism of action incapable of neutralizing all the cellular signals that fuel tumor progression. A paradigm shift is therefore essential.
This is where Kairos Discovery comes in, founded in late 2022 around a program targeting the CK2 kinase , a key protein in many cancers. While giants like AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb have explored this target, their candidates have encountered the same obstacle: by attacking a site common to hundreds of other proteins, these treatments lack precision and only partially block CK2 , leaving intact the functions by which the tumor continues to thrive.
Kairos succeeded where others failed by targeting a unique, recently discovered binding site on CK2. The company is exploiting this unprecedented structural vulnerability to ensure greater antitumor efficacy , increased selectivity , and reduced toxicity . This breakthrough is no accident: it is the culmination of a decade of academic research , to which its CEO dedicated his doctoral thesis, thus positioning Kairos as a legitimate player to transform this potential into a therapeutic success .
KDX-350, small molecule, strong potential
Its lead candidate, KDX-350 , a small orally bioavailable molecule, recognizes CK2 with exceptional affinity – at least 15 times greater than first-generation inhibitors – and simultaneously blocks its enzymatic activity and other functions by which it promotes tumor progression.
A preclinical proof of concept established in colorectal and metastatic kidney cancers, paving the way for other indications where CK2 leads tumor progression.
This approach is based on demonstrated antitumor efficacy in more than a dozen murine models , supported by pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) data. As monotherapy, the results confirm significant inhibition of tumor growth in representative models of colon cancer (~1.9 million new cases/year) and metastatic kidney cancer (~435,000 new cases/year) , with a therapeutic benefit up to twice that of the first-generation clinical inhibitor. In combination with first-line treatments, our molecule overcomes resistance mechanisms and leads to complete tumor regression in animals, with a favorable safety profile confirmed in mice and rats.
A double winner of the i-PhD and i-Lab innovation competitions, the MATWIN Prize , and the Lyon Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Cancer Cluster Proof of Concept award , Kairos has garnered numerous accolades for the scientific advancements of this program. Several results have been published in leading international journals, including the world’s first demonstration of in vivo antitumor efficacy for a bivalent CK2 inhibitor (Link here ). The company holds exclusive rights to two patent families covering the chemical structure of KDX-350 and its analogs, protected beyond 2040 .
First partnership targeted for 2027
Kairos intends to build an asset portfolio around the KDX-350 . The company is currently raising over €1.5 million in funding , including €850,000 in equity, to meet the requirements of a laboratory that has formalized its interest: further pharmacological characterization, production, and regulatory preparation. A licensing agreement as early as 2027 would allow this partner to take charge of the development of the KDX-350 , while Kairos would receive exploitation rights and focus on a second program. Alternatively, a second round of funding at the end of 2027 would allow Kairos to finalize regulatory toxicology studies and begin clinical trials by 2028, marking a major turning point in valuation and the opening of new partnerships.
Science as the foundation. Patients as the horizon.
Led by Dr. Alexandre Bancet, the entrepreneur behind the project, Kairos brings together a passionate team capable of executing everything in-house, right up to the preclinical proof of concept . This team is complemented by a management committee composed of seasoned entrepreneurs with a proven track record in venture capital and company management.
Together, let’s accelerate the development of the KDX-350 at this pivotal moment for the company, as we approach our first partnership . Join us in making this innovation a reality for patients .
