Nucleome Therapeutics Secures US Patent for Micro Capture-C 3D Genomics Platform, Advancing First-in-Class Inflammatory Disease Pipeline
Key Insights
Nucleome Therapeutics (search) has been granted US patent US12,674,197 covering its proprietary Micro Capture-C (MCC) 3D genomics technology, strengthening its global intellectual property portfolio.
MCC achieves unprecedented base-pair to sub-nucleosomal resolution, enabling precise mapping of non-coding genetic variants that regulate gene expression through three-dimensional chromatin interactions.
The company is leveraging MCC to discover novel antibody targets for inflammatory diseases (search), with lead program NTP464 (search)—a first-in-class monoclonal antibody agonist for inflammation resolution—now in IND-enabling studies.
Nucleome Therapeutics (search), a biotechnology company focused on unlocking the therapeutic potential of the regulatory genome, has announced that the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted US patent number US12,674,197, entitled "Process for producing a chromatin conformation capture (3C) library." The patent covers Micro Capture-C (MCC), the core technology underpinning Nucleome's proprietary 3D genomics platform, and is part of a broader global intellectual property portfolio protecting the company's advances in three-dimensional genomics.
The MCC technology, developed by researchers at Oxford University (search) and exclusively licensed to Nucleome, represents a significant advancement in chromatin conformation capture methodology. Unlike conventional techniques, MCC achieves unprecedented base-pair to sub-nucleosomal resolution by employing a sequence-agnostic nuclease to digest chromatin, followed by proximity ligation and deep sequencing of the ligation junctions. This approach enables the precise identification of transcription factor binding sites and enhancer-promoter networks at molecular resolution.
Decoding the Non-Coding Genome
Most disease-associated genetic variations are single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the largely unexplored non-coding genome. These SNPs regulate gene expression and protein levels through three-dimensional interactions that cannot be determined from DNA sequence alone. The advanced capabilities of MCC allow Nucleome to decode the genetic basis of non-coding regions in human diseases, opening avenues for new targeted therapies.
Dr. Mark Bodmer, CEO of Nucleome, stated: "Most drugs fail in development because we lack enough understanding of the molecular biology of human disease. MCC is the core of a lab + AI capability that can finally unlock the mystery of how non-coding genetic variations can guide selection of drug targets with a high probability of clinical success."
Pipeline Progress: NTP464 (search) Advances Toward the Clinic
Nucleome has focused its discovery efforts on novel antibody targets for inflammatory diseases (search) and is developing a pipeline of first-in-class medicines directed at targets identified through MCC. The company's lead programme, NTP464 (search), is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody agonist designed to promote inflammation resolution. NTP464 has already initiated IND-enabling studies, marking a critical step toward clinical development.
The company's approach can be applied to what it describes as the "vast repositories of variants" that cover most diseases. Nucleome has built a rich data atlas of immune system dysregulation identified from human disease genetics, allowing it to elucidate mechanistic disease drivers, identify hundreds of novel targets, and stratify patients by common mechanistic pathways.
Investor Backing and Strategic Positioning
Nucleome is supported by a syndicate of investors including M Ventures (search) (the venture capital arm of Merck KGaA), Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC (search), Inc., Pfizer Ventures (search), the British Business Bank, and founding investor Oxford Science Enterprises. The company describes itself as the first to build at scale a data atlas of immune system dysregulation from human disease genetics, positioning it to elucidate the mechanistic basis of disease and develop genetically identified therapeutics for inflammatory conditions.
Dr. Bodmer also acknowledged the contributions of Professors Jim Hughes and James Davies at the University of Oxford, crediting their "extraordinary inventiveness" in facilitating the company's leadership in applying human genetics to discover medicines with a higher probability of clinical success.