San Diego-based biotechnology company RyboDyn, Inc. has announced an expanded strategic collaboration with Moffitt Cancer Center to accelerate the development of novel cancer immunotherapies targeting what the company calls the "dark proteome."
The partnership, announced on May 15, 2025, aims to validate and advance a newly identified class of cancer-specific proteins that have remained invisible to standard detection methods. These proteins, termed "Dark Targets™," are derived from previously overlooked RNA species and represent a potentially untapped frontier for oncology drug development.
Novel Target Discovery Platform
RyboDyn's approach centers on its proprietary sequencing and AI-driven target discovery platform, RyboCypher™. Earlier this year, the company reported identifying a cryptic class of proteins that standard detection methods cannot identify.
"By focusing on conserved targets with tumor-specific presentation, we're unlocking new opportunities for scalable, off-the-shelf therapies in oncology," said Imad Ajjawi, PhD, MBA, CEO and Co-founder of RyboDyn.
The expanded collaboration will leverage Moffitt's uniquely annotated tumor repository—one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world—to validate these novel targets across diverse tumor types.
Promising Initial Validation Results
Initial studies from the collaboration have yielded encouraging results. Researchers have confirmed that select Dark Targets™ are consistently presented on tumors but absent in healthy tissues, potentially de-risking this novel class of antigens and providing a path toward tumor-specific therapies.
"The fact that our lead targets are consistently presented across patient samples—yet absent in healthy tissues, gives us high confidence in their relevance," explained Corey Dambacher, PhD, President, CTO, and Co-founder of RyboDyn.
These findings support the company's core hypothesis that while not all Dark Targets™ are cancer-specific, a distinct subset is uniquely and consistently presented on tumor cells, making them compelling candidates for therapeutic development.
Leveraging Clinical Expertise
The collaboration combines RyboDyn's novel discovery platform with Moffitt's extensive clinical and translational expertise in cancer immunotherapy.
"Moffitt's tumor bank is a critical resource in validating novel targets across a diverse set of cancer patients," said Dr. Alex Jaeger, PhD, assistant member of the Molecular Oncology Department at Moffitt Cancer Center. "The ability to correlate molecular signals with deep clinical metadata significantly accelerates both discovery and translational development."
Strategic Approach to Immunotherapy Development
Unlike approaches focused on personalized medicine, RyboDyn is pursuing therapies that combine precision with broad applicability. The company aims to develop scalable, off-the-shelf therapies by focusing on conserved targets with tumor-specific presentation.
"This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to advancing the next generation of cancer immunotherapies," added Dr. Jaeger. "By combining Moffitt's clinical and translational expertise with RyboDyn's novel discovery platform, we're accelerating progress toward more precise and effective treatments."
Company Background
RyboDyn, Inc., based in San Diego, CA, is pioneering the development of first-in-class immunotherapies targeting the dark genome. The company leverages its RyboCypher™ platform to uncover and validate previously unknown proteins and disease-specific targets.
With proprietary intellectual property licensed from Oregon Health & Science University, RyboDyn employs a "targets-to-assets" approach to therapeutic development. The company collaborates with leading clinical institutions, academic researchers, and biopharma partners to advance its drug pipeline, focusing on transformative solutions for cancer and other diseases with unmet medical needs.
