Outrun Therapeutics

Outrun Therapeutics is a Dundee-based preclinical biotech company pioneering protein stabilisation as a new drug modality for cancer and neurological disease. Spun out of Professor Satpal Virdee's laboratory at the University of Dundee's world-renowned MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit, the company emerged from stealth in April 2024 with a $10 million seed round backed by M Ventures (the strategic venture arm of Merck) and MP Healthcare Venture Management. Outrun's scientific approach is the mirror image of targeted protein degradation: rather than destroying disease-causing proteins, Outrun inhibits the E3 ligases that erroneously tag beneficial proteins — such as tumour suppressors — for destruction.

The company has developed a proprietary high-throughput discovery platform called XE3L, which uses engineered protein sensors to assess the specificity and selectivity of E3 ligase inhibitors with unprecedented accuracy. This platform dramatically reduces discovery timelines and enables Outrun to build a modular pipeline of first-in-class small molecule inhibitors across multiple disease areas. The lead programme targets a specific E3 ligase that destabilises a tumour suppressor protein in hard-to-treat solid tumours.

Outrun is led by CEO Carolyn Porter, who brings over 25 years of biotech leadership experience across university spin-outs, drug development companies and technology transfer. The company's board includes leading venture investors and domain experts in oncology and chemical biology. In January 2025 Outrun announced the appointment of Matthew Fyfe as Chief Scientific Officer, reinforcing its drug discovery capabilities as it progresses its lead programme towards candidate nomination.