KeyZell develops novel oncology drugs and finds the most efficient combination of treatments according to each genetics and clinical history.
Covid-19 placed the importance of scientific research at the forefront of public opinion . After two years of the pandemic, and in a situation of greater stability thanks to vaccination, researchers raise their voices so that the effort does not falter in other diseases where the battle has not yet been won .
“Research into the cure of cancer stopped with the pandemic and some researchers, led by the facilities of resources and approvals, decided to abandon the investigation of another true pandemic, cancer . It would be surprising to see the mortality data for people not treated or diagnoses cancer patients. We don’t take the easy road, that says a lot about the people in the team”.
This is José del Corral, CEO of the biotech startup KeyZell , one of the leading players in the development of precision medicine in oncology.
“It is a key moment for scientific research, since, after two years of the pandemic in which all efforts have focused on covid, trials and research in other areas are being reactivated ,” he explains to D+ YO.
KeyZell is a Spanish biotechnological startup located in Seville that focuses on the research and development of a new generation of anticancer drugs and an innovative oncology precision medicine system based on artificial intelligence.
“We started as an altruistic project more than three years ago among several professionals, who have also been friends for a long time, and we established ourselves as a company in 2020. We have collaborators all over the world and we have an operating subsidiary in Australia,” says José del Corral.
KeyZell is currently working on several first-line treatments against some of the main types of oncological tumors and is awaiting the start of phase I/IIa clinical trials. in Australia and Mexico.
In addition, one of its strong points in terms of technology is its innovative artificial intelligence system that aspires to guide the future of precision medicine in oncology. The startup is capable of associating genetic and epigenetic patterns with the available treatments to obtain the most suitable one for each patient.
“When a person is diagnosed with cancer, they usually receive the same treatment as other people who have the same type and stage as their cancer. However, each patient is different and can respond totally differently to treatments . An example is the limitation of use due to allergy to a certain medication”, argues the CEO.
“Our OPS artificial intelligence system will be able, based on a large amount of input data, such as genomic information, clinical history and approved treatments, to recognize patterns that allow it to find the most efficient combination of drugs for each patient . “.
The project is very advanced, in fact, it is the prelude to starting the clinical trial in humans after having achieved a total cure in animals.
“Being on the verge of starting a clinical trial in humans is already a milestone. When we talk about drug research, the development process is long and costly since it has to demonstrate, throughout its different phases, that the drug meets all the regulated requirements. Only 1 in 10,000 molecules reaches the final phase in humans , and that is where KeyZell is,” says the head of the biotechnology company.
“Furthermore, it was extremely exciting when Dr. Hajji shared with us the news that during the investigation they had achieved a total cure in animals “, adds Del Corral.
Dr. Hajji is, precisely, one of the pillars of Spanish biotechnology , the main researcher at KeyZell, without whose research the company would not have reached the advanced stage in which its scientific project is today.
The company has just opened a new round of private investment to finance the next clinical trials in Australia and Mexico and continue the training of the OPS Artificial Intelligence system.
“We are sure that we will be able to close it successfully within the foreseen period, given the interest that KeyZell has aroused among some of the most representative international investment funds “, clarifies the CEO.
“In addition, we are working in different countries to close agreements that allow us to start trials of our drug in patients and its subsequent marketing,” he concludes.
His impact project thus becomes one of the world’s leading names in the fight against cancer and an example of the enormous potential that the technology-scientific research binomial has to offer hope to millions of people all over the planet.
