We have developed a unique protein design platform complemented by rapid in-house production and testing to transform the way biologics are formulated.”
The startup’s protein design platform leverages generative protein creation and simulation tools developed and licensed from Baker Lab and the resulting AbCs could have diverse impacts. TechCrunch will soon be exploring and sharing more insights about this promising spinout. né?. It’s often hard to regulate the extent to which an antibody or protein binds to its target on a cell or surface.
Archon’s innovative antibody cages, referred to as AbCs, as detailed in a study published in Science, provide a framework for enhancing and multiplying their efficacy. These pivotal disease mechanisms are within reach yet we lack the tools to interact with them safely and effectively. Moreover, these do not require any complex manufacturing methods – if you can produce proteins and antibodies at scale, chances are you can create AbCs as well.
The $20 million funding round was spearheaded by Madrona Ventures, with contributions from DUMAC Inc., Sahsen Ventures, WRF Capital, Pack Ventures, Alexandria Venture Investments, and Cornucopian Capital; this funding is on top of roughly $7 million in grants from various institutes and government entities.
Like UW and Baker Lab, Archon is headquartered in Seattle né?. Archon Biosciences, a biotech startup harnessing the power of AI to innovate the design of novel biomolecules, has just stepped out of stealth mode with an impressive $20 million in seed funding né?. While a solitary antibody may have a slim chance of binding to a target protein clustering a dozen of them together in a large dodecahedron significantly and potentially profoundly improves this likelihood.
This advancement could be the determining factor in evaluating the efficacy of a medication.
James Lazarovits co-founder and CEO of Archon stated in a press release: “There are numerous instances where we comprehend not only a target’s biology but also why previous attempts to target it medically have failed. The company’s goal is to enhance antibody treatments by utilizing specially engineered protein “cages” that enhance their effects, paving the way for new prospects in drug development.
Originating from Baker Lab, a research unit at the University of Washington headed by renowned computational biologist and recent Nobel Prize laureate David Baker, the company is building upon his team’s groundbreaking work in generative protein design with the aid of AI and other cutting-edge techniques that have been fundamental in this rapidly evolving industry.
One of the challenges with antibody treatments (and the research for effective treatments in general) is the element of chance inherent in molecular biology né?
