Telomir Pharmaceuticals, a preclinical-stage biotechnology firm, today released new in vitro findings highlighting its lead candidate, Telomir-1. According to the company, tests conducted by Eurofins Discovery showed that Telomir-1 strongly inhibits UTX (KDM6A), an enzyme involved in DNA methylation regulation that has been considered “undruggable”.
The company also claims that Telomir-1 targets other key epigenetic enzymes—including FBXL10 (KDM2B), FBXL11 (KDM2A), and JMJD3 (KDM6B)—which play roles in cancer, inflammation, neurodegeneration, and metabolic dysfunction. Telomir-1 reportedly did not inhibit GCN5L2 (KAT2A), an enzyme whose suppression is associated with toxicity, suggesting a potentially cleaner safety profile.
Additionally, the compound demonstrated low-level inhibition of Tankyrases (PARP5A and PARP5B) that regulate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway—referred to by the company as cancer’s “fuel line”—potentially offering anti-cancer effects without telomere-related toxicity.
According to Telomir, earlier preclinical work showed that Telomir-1 reactivated silenced tumor suppressors like STAT1 and TMS1 in prostate cancer models by reversing abnormal DNA methylation. Collective findings support the profile of Telomir-1 as a “broad epigenetic reset therapy” with potential applications in cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, neurodegeneration, neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism, metabolic disease, and healthy aging.
The company stated that Telomir-1’s combination of potent epigenetic targeting, selectivity, and modest Tankyrase activity positions it as a potentially novel therapeutic candidate. The next steps toward clinical relevance remain unspecified.
