SMIN Therapeutics
Oral therapies.
Real impact.
Pioneering accessible autoimmune care.
The Challenge
Up to 10% of people* are affected globally. Many patients still lack effective options or face therapies that are costly, complex, and hard to sustain. Infusions, cold-chain logistics and frequent clinic visits create barriers that lead to undertreatment and uneven disease control. The need is clear: therapies that combine strong clinical performance with simple, scalable delivery.
Autoimmune diseases place a major burden on health systems worldwide.
* Fan Cao et al (2023) – “Global Prevalence of Psoriasis, MS, Other Autoimmune Diseases Higher in America, Europe.”
Our Belief
Oral therapies are the most scalable path to effective autoimmune care.
They maintain efficacy while reducing complexity in manufacturing, distribution and use. Oral dosing, high-volume production and no continuous cold chain extend reach across health systems — not just specialist centres. As a result, oral medicines will lead autoimmune therapy delivered at scale, making care more accessible to patients.
Why oral therapies are more accessible than biologics
Pills combine clinical impact with operational simplicity:
Oral dosing at-home instead of infusions or injections
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Works in combination with established immunomodulators or targeted agents.
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No risk of neutralizing antibodies, nor drug holiday, a key concern for some biologics
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No need for cold chain, hence easier storage and global distribution.
Scalable chemical synthesis rather than cell-factory production.
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Bottom line:
Wider access, more consistent treatment, and lower friction for patients and providers.
FcRn
A Hub in
Autoimmune Disease
Lowering pathogenic IgG by targeting FcRn.
Many autoimmune conditions are IgG-mediated*. The neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) regulates IgG homeostasis by protecting IgG from lysosomal degradation. Blocking FcRn lowers circulating IgG, thus regulates IgG half-life and addresses a shared pathogenic driver across multiple indications.
Our programme advances oral therapies that bind FcRn and promote selective reduction of pathogenic IgG — designed for routine care, with long-term patient benefit, not just in specialised settings.
*Garlapow, M. (2025). Targeting FcRn Disrupts Pathologic IgG Persistence and May Prevent FNAIT. Published in Rare Disease Advisor
Technology Platform
Physiology-first
PPI discovery
Many autoimmune conditions are IgG-mediated. The neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) regulates IgG homeostasis by protecting IgG from lysosomal degradation. Blocking FcRn lowers circulating IgG and addresses a shared driver across multiple indications.
Team
Gordon Saxty, PhD FRSC
Co-CEO/CSO and Founder
Gordon is a medicinal chemist and platform builder with over two decades in fragment-based drug discovery for hard-to-drug targets. He played key leadership roles in the discovery of Erdafitinib (Balversa), the first targeted therapy for metastatic bladder cancer, and Capivasertib (Truqap) for metastatic breast cancer. He has advanced nine INDs, achieved two approvals, and is inventor on 44 patents. Gordon holds a PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from Imperial College London.
Andreas Barthelmess
Co-CEO and Founder
Andreas has held senior leadership roles at high-growth European technology companies, including iZettle (acquired by PayPal). Over the past fifteen years, he has built and supported venture-backed businesses as an executive, adviser and angel investor. He is also a book author and regular contributor, with pieces published in DER SPIEGEL, DIE ZEIT, FAZ and Handelsblatt, writing on technology, society and disruption. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich).
Professor Richard Blumberg, MD
Scientific Advisor
Richard is a physician–scientist and member of the National Academy of Medicine who has led an NIH-funded laboratory at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for almost four decades. His studies in immunology have been highly impactful in multiple areas and is considered a pioneer in the biology of FcRn where his work has contributed to multiple FDA-approved therapies. He serves as Vice-Chair for Research in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he holds the Jerry S. Trier Endowed Chair in Gastroenterology and is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.