Leuchemix

Leuchemix was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel therapies targeting cancer stem cells. The company's research primarily addressed hematological malignancies, with a specific emphasis on Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). Its lead candidate, LC-1 (dimethylamino-parthenolide), was an orally bioavailable small molecule designed to selectively eliminate leukemia stem cells by inhibiting the NF-kappaB pathway. This approach aimed to prevent disease recurrence by targeting the resilient stem cell populations that often survive standard chemotherapy. Leuchemix was founded based on intellectual property from the University of Rochester and the University of Kentucky. In 2012, the company was acquired by Scynexis, which integrated the oncology programs into its own development pipeline.