Startup story #7 - MicThera

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Although patients initially respond well to available therapies, resistance emerges in 10% of all diagnosed cases. MicThera, a spin-off company from the USI-affiliated Institute of Oncology Research, focuses on developing microbiome-derived therapeutics to revolutionise prostate cancer treatment. Nicolò Pernigoni, co-founder and CEO, postdoctoral researcher and USI EMBA candidate, discusses their journey from lab to startup in this brief interview.

What does MicThera do?
MicThera is developing microbiome-inspired therapeutics based on preliminary evidence suggesting that commensal bacteria from cancer patients produce anticancer molecules that could be used to treat the disease. The project stems from research on the influence of microbiota on the effectiveness of androgen deprivation, one of the most widely used therapies for prostate cancer, conducted by Prof. Andrea Alimonti, Dr. Elena Zagato, Prof. Arianna Calcinotto and myself at IOR in Bellinzona. This research resulted in a patent application submitted with the support of the USI Transfer.

What have you achieved so far and what are your next milestones?
In December 2022, we won the first prize at the Boldbrain Startup Challenge, which gave a boost to the project development. In 2023, we incorporated a company in Bellinzona and, earlier this year, closed a seed financing round led by Indaco Venture Partners. We are currently investigating several assets and expect to have a therapeutic lead in the coming months to start the preclinical development process. Naturally, many things have changed and evolved since we started the project, including the business model, the strategy and the product itself. 

In a very short time, you moved from being a researcher to building a startup. How was this shift for you?
My uncle is an entrepreneur, and I spent a lot of time with him when I was younger, observing how he worked, even if in a completely different field. So, I always thought that starting my own company could be something that I would enjoy doing, but you can never be sure until you try. I enjoy doing science not only as an academic researcher but also as an entrepreneur. For me the biggest shift was probably in my way of thinking and acting. As a businessman, you have to consider many aspects for your venture to be successful. The idea is only a part of it, and I am definitely still learning a lot on this journey. 

What advice would you give to researchers who are thinking of launching a startup?
First of all, be careful when presenting your research, and make sure you take the necessary steps to patent your inventions and protect your ideas. Also, it is very useful to build a relevant network of experts and mentors whom you can trust and approach for advice and feedback, especially if you are a first-time founder. 

3 quick questions to wrap it up:

• How would you define your entrepreneurial journey in a few words? -  Intense, demanding and rewarding
• Where do you see yourself in 10 years? – Hopefully, we will exit the company and move on to the next venture
• What is one thing that you did not expect when starting your entrepreneurial journey? – I did not expect that it involved dealing with so many contracts and lawyers