Investment case
Clinical stage drug delivery company, with lower R&D risk profile, operating in high value market with the potential to be a platform to treat other cancers.
CRISM Therapeutics is an innovative UK company that has developed a novel drug delivery platform called ChemoSeed, which enables the localised delivery of chemotherapy for the treatment of various hard-to-treat solid cancers such as glioblastomas, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer and breast cancer.
CRISM’s initial therapeutic focus is the £1.7 billion glioblastoma market where it is using the generic chemotherapy drug irinotecan and scheduled to enter a registration-grade Phase II clinical trial in early 2026. In addition to glioblastoma, CRISM commenced a pre-clinical development program for ChemoSeed in prostrate cancer in May 2025.
CRISM’s lead programme has been granted orphan status by the MHRA Innovation Passport , potentially reducing the cost and time towards approval. Initial safety and efficacy data from the trial is expected 6 months after the trial commences. CRISM has the funding in place to advance the trial into patients, with initial steps including GMP manufacture of ChemoSeed, sterilisation, batch qualification, and packaging and distribution of the clinical batch for the evalution of safety and efficacy in the trial.
The company has various routes to generating revenues through out-licencing, direct sales, and also by monetising its drug formulation expertise through service contracts.