By Geraldine Ohonba
A groundbreaking new cancer drug described as a “molecular glue” is showing early promise in tricking deadly cancer cells into destroying themselves, according to researchers in the United States.
California-based medical startup Neomorph announced that it has begun its first human clinical trial of NEO-811, a novel treatment designed to combat clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) — the most common form of kidney cancer in the US. One patient has already been dosed in the Phase 1/2 trial.
NEO-811 belongs to a new class of medicines known as molecular glue degraders. Unlike traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation, which directly attack cancer cells and can damage healthy tissue, molecular glues work by redirecting the body’s own protein disposal system.
The drug forces harmful, disease-causing proteins inside cancer cells to bind with destructive enzymes called E3 ubiquitin ligases, effectively marking the proteins as cellular “trash.” Once labelled, the cancer cells are prompted to break down and self-destruct, preventing the disease from growing or spreading.
Neomorph says this targeted approach could significantly reduce the long-term side effects often associated with conventional cancer treatments, such as nerve damage, organ failure, infertility and secondary cancers. The drug is designed to be taken orally in multiple doses.
Dr Phil Chamberlain, CEO and founder of Neomorph, described the first patient dosing as a major milestone for the company.
“Dosing the first patient in our Phase 1/2 trial of NEO-811 in renal cell carcinoma marks a pivotal inflection point for Neomorph,” he said in a statement. “As we advance in the clinic, we look forward to generating data that will inform the continued development of NEO-811 and further validate the potential of our platform to deliver differentiated medicines for patients with significant unmet need.”
The trial aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of NEO-811 in patients with advanced, inoperable ccRCC, a cancer that originates in the cells responsible for filtering waste from the blood. Kidney cancer affects around 80,000 Americans each year and causes approximately 15,000 deaths, making it the seventh most common cancer in the US. About 80 per cent of kidney cancer cases are ccRCC.
The disease typically affects older adults, with an average diagnosis age of 65, though younger patients can also be affected. Risk factors are not fully understood, but smoking, alcohol use and exposure to certain toxins are believed to increase susceptibility.
Dr Chamberlain said ccRCC was chosen as the initial focus because nearly 90 per cent of patients carry a mutation in the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumour suppressor gene, making it an ideal target for precision medicine.
“There are lots of cases of it in the US, and most of the patients have a particular mutation,” he said. “So it’s a large population, but it’s also a precision medicine.”
Neomorph plans to explore the technology’s potential in treating other cancers in the future, though specific tumour types have not yet been disclosed.
The company has already attracted major pharmaceutical interest. In 2025, Neomorph signed a $1.6 billion licensing deal with AbbVie, alongside additional partnerships with Novo Nordisk and Biogen.
Steven Elmore, vice president of small molecule therapeutics at AbbVie, described protein degraders as a “groundbreaking advancement” in modern drug discovery.
Further patient enrolment and trial results are expected later this year, as researchers continue to assess whether this innovative “molecular glue” approach could mark a new era in cancer treatment.
