PostEra x Pfizer: $610 Million Ai- driven ADC Breakthrough
PostEra x Pfizer: $610 Million Ai- driven ADC Breakthrough
Hold on to your hats. A new era in drug discovery has arrived. “PostEra, the Boston-based biotech expands $610M partnership with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, spearheading the AI revolution in Drug discovery.
This landmark agreement aims to conquer cancer with AI as the most powerful weapon yet forged. Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs)- are a promising class of drugs used to treat cancer by eliminating tumor cells while keeping the healthy cells safe. It just does not end there; they are also focusing on expanding their existing $260M Ai lab, which resonates around small molecule therapeutics.
PostEra said it would receive $12 million upfront in a press conference held on 7th January and is qualified to receive additional milestone payments and labeled royalties on approved products that result from this collaboration.
Fortifying Sucess:
The long-standing Ai lab partnership was aimed at testing the efficacy of machine learning in rug discovery with a relatively independent framework. Advances in small molecules programs is a result of this collaboration.
Pfizer nominated the maximum number of programs for further development, a vote of confidence for PastEra’s AI-integrated perspective.
ADCs are like stealth aircraft, they promote targeted cancer therapies.It has the precision of monoclonal antibodies and the strength of cytotoxic drugs, they only target the tumor cells, and directly deliver the payload into the cancer cells while keeping the healthy cells away from harm.
Pfixer’s keen interest in ADC is nothing new; in 2023, it acquired Seagen, a leader in ADCs, for $43 billion. As Morris noted, “The potential of ADCs to combine targeted delivery with high efficacy has made them one of the hottest areas in oncology, but challenges remain, particularly in designing better payloads.”
How can Ai help?
PostEra’s AI engine, Proton, optimizes the design of payloads- the component that delivers a lethal blow to tumor cells. Optimizing payloads requires navigating through a maze of complicated biological interactions and chemical properties. How is Proton different? It has advanced integration of generative chemistry and synthesis-aware design capabilities, positioned to tackle these challenges head-on.
Proven track Record
This isn’t the first time PostEra and Pfizer have been in the spotlight together. Their prior vitory – the discovery of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro inhibitors using the Proton platform played a crucial role in developing potent, selective, and orally bioavailable inhibitors against the virus. Showcasing how AI-driven drug discovery methods can accelerate preclinical testing.
Alpha Lee, Chief Scientific Officer of PostEra, emphasized: “Peer-reviewed publications with Pfizer have already demonstrated the real-world impact of AI-driven drug discovery in achieving preclinical milestones faster than expected.”
This $610 million partnership is a landmark achievement, not just for PostEra and Pfizer but for the entire field of drug discovery. It signals a new era where AI is no longer a futuristic fiction but a powerful tool transforming how we develop life-saving medications.
PostEra & Pfizer Partnership: $610 Million Ai- driven ADC Breakthrough