Our Proprietary Technology

Many therapeutically important compounds contain diester bonds that link different parts of the molecule together. Diester bonds are naturally unstable often leading to suboptimal performance when the molecule is administered to patients. Diester bonds have specific electrostatic properties and three-dimensional structure that cannot be easily mimicked by other bonds. Chemical structures that do not mimic the diester bond correctly invariably render the compound biologically inactive. In collaboration with Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Rouen in France (“INSA”), our licensor, Advanomics Corporation, has developed a way to replace the diester bond with a Carbon-Difluoride bond which acts as a perfect diester isostere. An isostere is a different chemical structure that mimics the properties of the original. In the body, Carbon-Difluoride compounds are resistant to metabolic degradation but are recognized similarly to the diester containing compounds (see Figure below). This technology allows us to create a large variety of therapeutic compounds that are completely stable and often more active than the original drugs.

This unique capability allowed us to create our Lead Compound, Adva-27a, an effective and highly specific Topoisomerase II (Top2) Inhibitor. Our in vitro studies have shown that Adva-27a is very effective at killing a variety of cancer types including Multi-Drug Resistant Breast Cancer.


Our Carbon-Difluoride Technology is covered by issued and pending patents filed under PCT/FR2003/002330 and PCT/FR2007/000697.