Innovations in Biotech: A Deep Dive with MoMA Therapeutics

What It Covers

MoMA Therapeutics VP of Corporate Development Neil Linebury outlines the company's NOMADIC platform for targeting dynamic proteins, explains two clinical-stage oncology programs focused on DNA repair pathways, and assesses the current biotech funding environment as moving from neutral toward cautious optimism.

Key Questions Answered

• •DNA Polymerase Theta Inhibition: MoMA's lead asset, MOMA-313, targets DNA polymerase theta to block a resistance mechanism that undermines PARP inhibitors in homologous recombination-deficient tumors. The combination approach addresses breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. Dose escalation has run approximately 14 months, with an early clinical readout expected by Q2 of next year.
• •Werner Helicase as a Precision Target: MOMA-341 inhibits Werner helicase, which resolves secondary DNA structures caused by expanded TA repeats in MSI-high or DMMR tumors. Current standard of care uses immunotherapy but does not target the underlying driver. MoMA's monotherapy approach, now in clinic, could be combined with immunotherapy for a compounded effect on this patient population.
• •NOMADIC Platform Structure: The four-component discovery platform integrates target identification via covalent and fragment screens, cryo-EM structure-function analysis that locks fast-moving protein conformations, iterative computational modeling with limited AI, and translational biomarker work to define patient selection criteria. Combining all four components in-house, rather than using isolated components, is the stated differentiator.
• •Biotech Funding Landscape by Stage: Early-stage venture funding remains relatively stable, with seed and Series A rounds continuing through funds from firms such as Sanofi Ventures and Vivo. The stress point is late-stage private biotechs, which carry high cash burn and limited clinical validation simultaneously. Recent public takeouts of companies including Merus, Verona, and Blueprint signal capital beginning to recycle through the system.
• •ESMO Conference as Near-Term Catalyst: Data disclosures on both the DNA polymerase theta and Werner helicase programs are scheduled for the upcoming ESMO conference. Investors tracking MoMA should monitor these presentations as the earliest public signal of clinical activity before the full Q2 readouts. Conference data will likely influence the company's fundraising positioning heading into 2025.