Nuage Therapeutics, based at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB-UB), has secured €2.7 million in funding from the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities under the R&D&I State Program for Transfer and Collaboration. The funding will support a research project focused on developing a new drug against the most common subtype of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC-A), in collaboration with the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Barcelona (EMBL Barcelona), and the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO). The main objective of the project is to reach the clinical phase with a robust dataset demonstrating the efficacy and safety of the drug candidate NTX-A, which has been one of the primary focus of resources over the past year. 

This grant validates our approach to tackling intrinsically disordered proteins and accelerates our mission to deliver a new generation of transformative precision therapies for severe illnesses where effective treatments are still lacking”

– Stuart Hughes, CEO Nuage Therapeutics

The consortium has already initiated the development of NTX-A, a pioneering drug targeting the ASCL1 protein, which plays a key role in the onset of the most common type of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC-A). This subtype is associated with a pronounced neuroendocrine profile and rapid tumour progression, contributing to its particularly aggressive clinical behaviour.  

“This grant validates our approach to tackling intrinsically disordered proteins and accelerates our mission to deliver a new generation of transformative precision therapies for severe illnesses where effective treatments are still lacking” says Stuart Hughes, recently appointed CEO of Nuage Therapeutics. 

The spin-off from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) is dedicated to pioneering a novel drug discovery approach, directly targeting intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) — therapeutic targets traditionally considered undruggable and associated with serious diseases such as cancer, which have so far remained beyond the reach of conventional treatments. 

“We are very excited to be a key partner in this project and bring the expertise of organoid development that we have at EMBL Barcelona. It is through interdisciplinary partnerships like this one that we can effectively advance in the field of cancer research.” Talya Dayton, Group Leader at EMBL Barcelona. Dayton and her group will lead the development of advanced laboratory models, called patient derived tumour organoids (PDTOs), that are grown directly from patients’ tumour tissue to closely mimic real tumours. Once developed, the organoids will be classified by their molecular subtypes and ASCL1 status to test protein inhibitors and their ability to stop tumour growth. The effects of the drugs will be assessed against cell survival, gene activity, ASCL1 expression, and toxicity, helping the team identify the most effective and safest candidates for future preclinical development. 

“The main goal of the project is to inhibit ASCL1, a protein that not only gives the name to a subtype of small cell lung cancer, SCLC-A, but is also known to drive this disease”, indicates Dr. Marcos Malumbres, Director of the Systems Oncology programme and head of the Cancer Cell Cycle laboratory at VHIO. “However, we also know that aggressive tumours evolve, especially under some therapies, and may lose their dependence on ASCL1. We will investigate these mechanisms of tumour evolution and resistance to ASCL1 inhibitors for a better future application of this type of therapies in the clinic.” 

Innovation for “undruggable” proteins

A large proportion of the human proteome contains proteins with high levels of intrinsic structural disorder and, therefore, are not suitable for conventional drug discovery methods. Around 40% of human proteins include intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). These regions — and, in some cases, entire proteins — do not adopt a fixed and stable three-dimensional structure but instead remain flexible and dynamic, like “molecular chains” in constant motion. This flexibility allows them to interact with many other molecules and participate in a wide range of cellular processes, but it also makes them elusive targets for traditional drugs. 

In cancer, this property is particularly relevant, as many proteins involved in tumour onset and progression — such as oncogenic transcription factors — exhibit a high degree of structural disorder. These proteins regulate the activity of numerous genes and control processes such as cell division and differentiation, but their flexible nature keeps them beyond the reach of classical therapeutic approaches, representing one of the major challenges in modern biomedicine. 

Nuage Therapeutics has developed an innovative technology that enables interrogating intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) in their transient more ordered structures, in which they are susceptible to being recognized and inhibited by drugs. This strategy opens up a new avenue for designing therapies against proteins that, until now, were considered undruggable. 

The company’s patented platform enables to zoom in on the temporarily adopted IDP structures, which are relevant in the native cellular context. This allows researchers to design drugs capable of recognizing and acting on them—something that was previously impossible. This breakthrough represents a paradigm shift in drug discovery, turning protein “disorder” into a therapeutic opportunity. For years, these proteins were considered unreachable targets due to their flexibility and the difficulty of controlling their function with traditional compounds. 

A new strategy against the most aggressive form of lung cancer

Among the diseases that could benefit from this technology, small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) stands out as one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms. Despite advances in immunotherapy and chemotherapy, treatment options remain limited, and patient survival has barely improved in recent decades. 

In cancer, many proteins involved in tumour initiation and progression — such as oncogenic transcription factors — exhibit a high degree of structural disorder. These proteins regulate the activity of numerous genes and control processes such as cell division and differentiation, but their flexible nature keeps them beyond the reach of classical therapeutic approaches, representing one of the major challenges in modern biomedicine. In this type of lung tumour, the ASCL1 protein drives the growth and survival of cancer cells by reactivating neural development genes that, when out of control, fuel the spread of the disease. 

In this context, Nuage Therapeutics is opening a new path to tackle small-cell lung cancer of the SCLC-A subtype, a form responsible for a significant proportion of SCLC cases and one that currently lacks effective treatments. By allowing to interrogate the ASCL1 protein’s transiently adopted stable structures, this technology could allow the identification of molecules that bind to it and neutralize its oncogenic activity. 

Beyond this tumour, Nuage Therapeutics’ breakthrough could extend to other diseases driven by disordered proteins, establishing a new frontier in the rational development of drugs. 

Funding Acknowledgement

The Public-Private Partnership Programme is awarded by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) under the Spanish State Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research 2024-2027.  

Research Project Reference: CPP2024-011304. Funded by MICIU/AEI. 

Nuage Therapeutics has successfully completed two projects funded through the Torres Quevedo programme (PTQ2021-011961 & PTQ2021-011994), strengthening its pioneering role in drug discovery.

These projects have supported Nuage’s development of a novel drug discovery approach, unlocking the draggability of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) to deliver a new wave of transformative therapies. IDPs are a class of proteins long considered undraggable. This breakthrough opens the door to a new generation of transformative therapies.

This ground-breaking approach is currently being applied to target transcription factors that drive the growth of specific cancers, offering a revolutionary approach to treating certain tumour types.

Scientific, economic & strategic impact

The execution of these projects has had a transformative impact on Nuage’s trajectory as it has achieved several outstanding milestones:

Funding acknowledgement

The Torres Quevedo Programme is awarded by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) under the Spanish State Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research 2021-2023. 

Ayuda PTQ2021-011961 y PTQ2021-011994 financiada por MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 
(Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades / Agencia Estatal de Investigación)

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Nuage Therapeutics has been awarded a competitive grant from EIT Health, which forms part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), to advance its mission of ushering in a new wave of transformational precision therapies for aggressive cancers. The funded project, Unlocking the Druggability of Disordered Transcription Factors to deliver Transformative New Therapies, will accelerate Nuage’s pioneering approach to drug discovery.  

The grant will enable Nuage to continue demonstrating that its novel technology can unlock the druggability of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs), a class of proteins long considered “undruggable”. IDPs play a critical role in multiple diseases across different therapeutic areas, including oncology. Nuage has developed a proprietary set of tools that enables the reconstitution of IDPs in a transiently druggable form, making them amenable to small-molecule drug discovery.  

Nuage’s groundbreaking approach is initially being deployed to target transcription factors that are key to the growth of specific cancers. With this new funding, Nuage will continue advancing its innovative research, targeting oncogenic transcription factors that drive cancer progression while shutting down key disease pathways that have remained inaccessible to conventional drug discovery.  

Olivier joined Nuage Therapeutics as Head of Drug Discovery. Prior to this, he served as Head of Medicinal Chemistry at Idorsia. Olivier brings extensive expertise in medicinal chemistry from his roles at both Idorsia and Actelion, with a particular focus on oncology and immunology. Over the course of his career, Olivier has contributed to the discovery of multiple drug candidates that have progressed into clinical development. 

Commenting on his appointment, Dr. Corminboeuf, new Head of Drug Discovery at Nuage Tx, said: “I’m thrilled to join Nuage Therapeutics at such an exciting moment. Nuage is pioneering a disruptive platform that redefines what’s possible in drug discovery—by turning intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), long considered ‘undruggable,’ into druggable therapeutic targets. This breakthrough opens entirely new avenues for precision medicine, and I look forward to helping advance Nuage’s pipeline to bring impactful therapies to patients.” 

Blandine Guimet stepped into the role of Head of People. Blandine has extensive expertise in Human Resources gained through operational and strategic roles within corporate and start-ups environments. In 2021, Blandine founded Start HR Consulting, a company that provides support to biotech companies with their HR needs through their early and growth phases. Blandine holds a MA in Human Resources Management and is certified in co-active coaching.  

As she joins the leadership team, Blandine shared: “It’s a real pleasure to be part of Nuage Therapeutics’ journey at such a key moment. I’m looking forward to helping build the foundations that will support our teams as we grow — through strong, scalable people practices and a culture where everyone feels empowered, supported, and inspired to do their best work.” 

Their leadership will be instrumental as we continue to grow, evolve and push boundaries – delivering a new wave of transformative therapies by unlocking the druggability of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). 

Welcome on board Olivier and Blandine! 

As part of joining AseBio, they have interviewed our CEO, Stuart Hughes. You can see the full interview below.

Nuage’s mission is to usher in a new wave of transformational precision therapies for aggressive cancers with limited treatment options. By pioneering a novel drug discovery approach, we directly target the oncogenic transcription factors that drive cancer progression, shutting down key disease pathways that have remained inaccessible to conventional drug discovery.

Nuage ultimately aims to become the preeminent company in the intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) target space, leveraging its technology beyond oncology into other therapeutic areas where protein disorder plays a key role and treatment options remain limited.

Nuage also brings together a highly skilled team of professionals with international experience gained at world-leading institutions and research centres. 


“We see AseBio as the go-to platform for fostering synergies within Spain’s biotech sector. It provides essential tools and activities to connect startups with investors and industry leaders, an invaluable resource and asset for a company like ours“

Stuart Hugues, CEO

One of our founding investors, Asabys, is a long-standing member of AseBio and they recommended that we join to enjoy the benefits of a country-wide network of like-minded companies and individuals. 

We see AseBio as the go-to platform for fostering synergies within Spain’s biotech sector. It provides essential tools and activities to connect startups with investors and industry leaders, an invaluable resource and asset for a company like ours.

We believe that being a member of AseBio will give us access to a strong network of key stakeholders within the Spanish biotech sector. It will also help us raise our profile in the industry through its activities while leveraging our interests within the different working groups. 

Participating in these working groups will also be of incredible value, as it enables us to help shape and influence the future of our sector in Spain. 

We are part of a fast-growing and dynamic ecosystem. However, securing sustainable funding across all stages of development can be challenging, especially for early-stage companies. It is therefore especially important to foster synergies between startups, investors, public funding agencies, and pharmaceutical companies in order to advance in this sector while making the best use of limited resources. 

You can also find the interview in Spanish on AseBio’s website.

The article highlights how Nuage is deploying a suite of proprietary biophysics tools that ‘capture’ intrinsically-disordered proteins in a secondary-structured form to address the challenge of therapeutically targeting a range of racer-driving transcription factors.

This approach has the potential to revolutionise the way that certain tumours are treated and usher in a new wave of transformational targeted cancer therapies.

Nuage Therapeutics is one of the three companies featured in the article, all headquartered at Parc Científic de Barcelona. The city is becoming one of the top areas for biotech research thanks to its well-connected ecosystem of top-tier hospitals, research institutes and global pharmaceutical companies.

You can read the full article here.