AI Proteins Enters into Collaborative Research Agreement with the University of Missouri on Radioligand Therapy

AI Proteins, Inc., a biotechnology company that utilizes computational de novo protein design to create therapeutic miniproteins, announced today it has entered into a Collaborative Research Agreement with the University of Missouri-Columbia to work with Dr. Carolyn Anderson, Simón-Ellebracht Professor in Medicinal Chemistry and Professor of Radiology, and her team to jointly pursue specific research projects to advance the use of de novo designed miniproteins for targeted radioligand therapy (RLT). This joint effort is intended to demonstrate that miniproteins labeled with alpha and beta-emitting radionuclides are effective as a cancer theranostic, i.e. a compound that can be used to both diagnose and treat cancer. In particular, compared to standard single tumor-associated antigen (TAA) targeted monovalent miniproteins, multivalent miniprotein-based theranostics that simultaneously target multiple TAAs on cancer cells will be evaluated for greater efficacy.

“AI Proteins recognizes Dr. Carolyn Anderson and her team as leaders in molecular imaging and theranostics research.” said Dr. Chris Bahl, founder, President, and CEO of AI Proteins. “We are excited to apply our ability to design multivalent miniproteins de novo to create targeted theranostics that are capable of binding to multiple different tumor antigens. By working together, we have the opportunity to take a major step forward for patients who are battling cancer.”

“A major limitation of current theranostics is that they have affinity for one, or at most two, tumor antigens,” said Dr. Anderson. “This collaboration proposes a potential breakthrough approach in the ability to target theranostics to as many tumor antigens as possible in furtherance of solving long-standing challenges in cancer specificity, heterogeneity, and potentially resistance, which are major impediments to improving outcomes for patients.”

The collaboration aims to establish an innovative, versatile platform for cancer theranostics that capitalizes on targeting multiple TAAs overexpressed in various cancers. Upon completion of the research collaboration, the goal will be to continue to advance this novel technology into further preclinical and clinical development, as well as apply the novel platform to additional cancer indications.

About AI Proteins

Boston-based AI Proteins is a biotech company on a mission to re-imagine protein therapeutics with a novel approach for designing entirely new proteins. Using AI-based design and a high-throughput drug discovery platform, AI Proteins creates de novo proteins optimized for a variety of therapeutic applications. Partnered with leading global biopharmaceutical companies, the company continues to pursue collaborations in inflammation, metabolic diseases, oncology, and other therapeutic areas, in addition to advancing its internal pipeline. The company’s technology enables the development of inexpensive, durable, highly specific proteins with differentiated and enhanced therapeutic properties and with the potential for multiple routes of delivery. Additionally, the AI Proteins platform can dramatically accelerate the development of lead therapeutic candidates ready for IND-enabling studies.

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