Photo: Scientist Lee Dolat, PhD, in Chordoma Foundation Labs
We're thrilled to announce the launch of our TBXT Challenge — a new prize competition aimed at conquering one of the most formidable challenges in chordoma treatment: developing drugs that can effectively target TBXT, also known as brachyury.
For years, researchers have known that TBXT is a major vulnerability for chordoma; it’s a genetic essentiality that plays a central role in driving this disease. TBXT is also thought to play a role in more common tumor types — like breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancer. However, it has long been considered an "undruggable" target due to the nature of its molecular structure and properties. Fortunately, new therapeutic modalities and technological advances, such as in chemical biology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, now offer significant potential to overcome these historical obstacles.
The TBXT Challenge aims to catalyze progress by providing substantial incentives for companies and research teams to apply these cutting-edge approaches to targeting TBXT. The first phase of this challenge will offer over $500K in prizes for teams that can develop molecules that bind tightly to TBXT, positioning them for further optimization into drugs that interfere with TBXT activity or trigger its degradation.
Crucially, this challenge builds on brand new capabilities we've developed at Chordoma Foundation Labs that help companies overcome the technical hurdles that have historically made TBXT drug development so challenging. These capabilities — including TBXT protein production and purification, small-molecule screening approaches, and cell-based testing methods — allow us to rapidly evaluate potential drug candidates and return important insights to companies. By reducing both the technical risk and resource barriers that have discouraged investment in this area, we're creating unprecedented opportunities for progress.
Finally, we’re making continued investments in important complementary projects at leading institutions. Most recently, we awarded grants to teams at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Freiburg University, and the German Cancer Research Center, who will help unlock critical insights about how TBXT functions in chordoma cells — knowledge that will be instrumental in guiding future drug development efforts. By combining these academic discoveries with our internal capabilities and industry partnerships, we're building a comprehensive ecosystem to tackle this challenging but vital target.
Together, these efforts put in reach an ambitious but achievable goal: to advance the first experimental TBXT drugs into clinical trials within the next 3-5 years. If successful, these efforts could lead to therapies that should in principle benefit the majority of chordoma patients. And while significant work remains ahead, we’re excited to now have the tools and partnership incentives needed to drive this work forward with urgency.
None of this progress would be possible without the catalytic support of our donor community. Thanks to you, this critical infrastructure is in place. The scientific community is becoming increasingly engaged. And with continued momentum, we can keep pushing this work forward on a timeline that matters to patients facing chordoma today.
Donors can sustain our TBXT drug discovery efforts by making a gift here or by contacting our Head of Philanthropy, Kenny Brighton via email or phone (954-803-1025).
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More information:
Companies or sponsors interested in learning more about participating in the TBXT Challenge: click here or email our prize team
Members of the media: click here or email our Chief of Staff, Sara Nick
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These efforts were made possible in part by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative DAF, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, as well as the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research. We’re deeply grateful for their partnership.