Our Company
Kyrexa was founded to find a better way to treat cancer in our beloved family pets. Treating cancer in dogs can result in unwanted side effects which can be troubling for their families. We believe that cancer treatment should slow cancer growth whilst leaving dogs able to have a full and happy life.
Traditional cancer treatments carry health and safety implications for veterinary staff and pet owners so finding a drug that can be administered at home by owners with no health and safety precautions will help all those involved in pet cancer care.
Kyrexa has already carried out a pilot study looking at the efficacy and safety of its lead drug in pet dogs with cancer.
We are now seeking further investment to bring the drug to market.
Board of Directors:
Clinical Development Team
Barbara A. Spruce MB.BS, MRCP, PhD
Physician scientist and regulatory professional
Barbara has been committed throughout her career to the translation of scientific discovery for the benefit of patients. Close parallels between human and canine patients with cancer, inspired Barbara to join forces with Clare Knottenbelt, an experienced and compassionate veterinary oncologist, with the aim to deliver new medicines for the treatment of cancer in dogs.
Dually qualified in human medicine and science (medical degree from Newcastle Medical School and a PhD from Imperial College in molecular cell biology) Barbara worked for a number of years in academic medicine with a focus on translational oncology. As a Wellcome Senior Clinical Research Fellow, she directed a translational medicine team that made seminal discoveries in the area of programmed cell death and its dysregulation in cancer.
In 2013 Barbara was appointed as an assessor in the licensing division of the UK medicines regulator – the MHRA – where she contributed to the timely delivery of safe and effective medicines to the marketplace for the benefit of patients.
Barbara is now applying her extensive scientific, medical and regulatory experience to help advance new medicines to meet high need in dogs with cancer. She is excited to be working with distinguished veterinarians to enable this.
Clare M Knottenbelt BVSc MSc DSAM MRCVS,
RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine
Clare co-founded Kyrexa Ltd in 2023 and uses her extensive oncology experience to lead the development of treatments that provide a kinder way to manage dogs with cancer.
Clare has always had an interest in oncology since her undergraduate years at the University of Bristol and gained experience on treating patients in first opinion practice working in mixed veterinary practice in West Yorkshire. She completed a BSAVA Petsavers residency in small animal medicine and a Masters in feline transfusion medicine at the University of Edinburgh before moving to Glasgow University as lecturer in Small Animal Medicine.
Clare worked in the medicine and oncology departments at Glasgow University for 18 years and was awarded a personal Professorship in 2010. Clare’s research interests involved the prevention and treatment of cancer with repurposed drugs. She was Clinical Director of the University of Glasgow’s Small Animal Hospital for 6 years and a member of the School of Veterinary Medicine’s management team. In 2018 Clare established Hawk and Dove Vets to support vets and pet owners and deliver accessible cancer care to pets and is an Oncology consultant for Virtual Veterinary Specialists.
Clare co-founded Kyrexa in 2023 to progress her lifelong goal of providing cancer treatment to pets that allowed them to experience a great quality of life.