RyboDyn Awarded $1.3 Million Grant from U.S. Department of War for Lung Cancer Therapies

RyboDyn has received a $1.3 million award from the U.S. Department of War to advance preclinical development of two antibody-based therapies for lung cancer, according to a press release. The funding was provided through the department's Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program Impact Award.

The grant supports RyboDyn's antibody-drug conjugate and T-cell engager programs targeting two newly identified cell-surface proteins discovered through its CypherAtlas platform. These targets were found directly from patient tumor samples and are among the most prevalent in lung cancer, making them suitable for therapeutic development.

The company’s discovery system, RyboCypher, integrates sequencing of non-canonical RNAs, proteomic validation, and AI modeling to identify disease-specific proteins not detected by traditional methods. Data from over 2,000 patient samples across 12 cancer types have been compiled into CypherAtlas, a growing resource of previously undiscovered proteins.

Under the grant, RyboDyn will generate candidate molecules, evaluate their biological activity, and conduct proof-of-concept studies in animal models. Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death in the United States and a priority area for the Department of War due to its elevated incidence among veterans and military personnel.