Glycans are complex sugars that coat proteins and dictate how cells and tissues behave. Glycan-driven mechanisms sit at the core of immune and fibrotic diseases and contribute to up to 25% of global disease burden, yet 96% of FDA-approved drugs target proteins.

Anomer Bio’s proprietary platform integrates multi-omics data, a Nobel Prize-winning research tool and insights from a first-in-class clinical trial to design synthetic sugar therapeutics. These small molecules are orally delivered, penetrate tissues deeply and selectively block the synthesis of disease-driving glycans. The platform has already yielded hit compounds that reprogram glycans better than the baseline for clinical testing.

Founded by researchers from the Francis Crick Institute and Oxford Dr Sophie James and Dr Marcos Burger Ramos, the company’s lead program focuses on Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare disorder caused by pathogenic glycan accumulation. Anomer Bio has secured $800k in dilutive and non-dilutive funding and is raising $1.2M to select a lead candidate ready for IND-enabling studies.