Phoenox Pharma

Who we are

Phoenox Pharma is an early stage biotech company focusing on delivering mitochondrial inhibitors specifically to cancer stem cells for the treatment of orphan oncology indications of significant unmet need. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a phenomenon common to all malignancies and drive recurrent disease, metastasis and ultimately death of the cancer patients. While an attractive target, anti-CSC therapeutic agents are not yet on the market and have been limited by toxicity in clinical trials. Phoenox, through the use of an artificial intelligence platform, is designing novel small molecule prodrugs to deliver payloads targeting multiple facets of mitochondrial respiration and biogenesis. The AI platform will accelerate development by scoring molecules for pharmacokinetic properties based on similarity to known drugs, allowing Phoenox to shorten lead optimization design iterations.  

Using artificial intelligence to defeat cancer

Phoenox Pharma is an early stage biotech company focusing on delivering mitochondrial inhibitors specifically to cancer stem cells for the treatment of orphan oncology indications of significant unmet need. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a phenomenon common to all malignancies and drive recurrent disease, metastasis and ultimately death of the cancer patients. While an attractive target, anti-CSC therapeutic agents are not yet on the market and have been limited by toxicity in clinical trials. Phoenox, through the use of an artificial intelligence platform, is designing novel small molecule prodrugs to deliver payloads targeting multiple facets of mitochondrial respiration and biogenesis. The AI platform will accelerate development by scoring molecules for pharmacokinetic properties based on similarity to known drugs, allowing Phoenox to shorten lead optimization design iterations.

Meet the team

Andrew Haller, PhD
Andrew Haller, PhD

Founder and CEO

    Naheed Kurji
    Naheed Kurji

    Collaborator, Board Member

    CEO, Cyclica

      Ella Korets-Smith
      Ella Korets-Smith

      BD Advisor, Board Member

      EKS Business Development

        Kevin Canning, PhD
        Kevin Canning, PhD

        Pharma Advisor

        VP Strategy, 
Green Organic Dutchman

          Doug Hamilton
          Doug Hamilton

          Biotech Venture Advisor

          CEO, Vasomune

            Dr. Steven Gallinger, MD, MSc, FRCSC
            Dr. Steven Gallinger, MD, MSc, FRCSC

            Clinical Advisor, Pancreatic Cancer

            Head of the HPB Surgical Oncology at UHN and MSH

              Dr. George Yousef, MD, PhD, FRCSC (Path), MSc, MBBCh
              Dr. George Yousef, MD, PhD, FRCSC (Path), MSc, MBBCh

              Prostate and Renal Cancer

              Chief Pathologist, SickKids
              Vice Chair LMP, UofT

                Costin Antonescu, PhD
                Costin Antonescu, PhD

                Collaborator and Science Advisor

                Assistant Professor, Ryerson University

                  Raffi Karshafian, PhD
                  Raffi Karshafian, PhD

                  Collaborator and Science Advisor

                  Assistant Professor, Ryerson University

                    Russell D. Viirre, PhD
                    Russell D. Viirre, PhD

                    Medicinal Chemistry

                    Ryerson University