Portugal’s National Innovation Agency distinguishes startup developing innovative cancer therapies

Portuguese startup BEAT Therapeutics, a biotechnology company specialising in the development of innovative therapies for highly aggressive cancers such a pancreatic cancer, was the winner of this year’s edition of the Born from Knowledge (BfK) Awards from Portugal’s National Innovation Agency (ANI).

Founded in 2023 by Ângela Carvalho, Co-founder & CEO (pictured) and Hugo Prazeres, Co-founder & CBDO, BEAT Therapeutics has developed a pharmaceutical compound called BBIT20 which is currently in a pre-clinical phase of development. The drug has a unique mechanism of action that has proven to be highly efficient and capable of overcoming the mechanisms by which cancer cells become resistant to available treatment options.

Cancer cells can develop mutations that make them resistant to drugs, including those that stop drugs from entering the cell, pump drugs back out, or repair DNA damage. Additionally, cancer cells can evolve and adapt to treatments by modifying their behavior or developing new mechanisms to evade treatment.

BEAT Therapeutics disruptive innovation is based on new types of therapies that involve DNA repair mechanisms that until now have not been explored as therapies, but are proving to be highly effective when used with other therapies.

Based on a scientific approach of excellence, with research results developed at the Faculties of Pharmacy of the University of Porto and the University of Lisbon, and the use of state-of-the-art technologies, such as artificial intelligence and advanced computational models, BEAT Therapeutics is developing more effective and targeted therapies for tumors, which seek to significantly improve the quality of life and survival rates of cancer patients.

In addition to the social and clinical impact, BEAT Therapeutics’ business model, based on licensing and intellectual property protection in 47 countries, has strong potential for scalability and internationalisation.

The BfK Awards, are awarded by the National Innovation Agency (ANI) under the partnership between the Born from Knowledge (BfK) programme and the Empreende XXI Awards, promoted by BPI and DayOne, a specialised division of CaixaBank for innovation and technology companies.