EXSCIENTIA
9.4.2021 07:32:05 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Exscientia, a leading artificial intelligence (AI)-driven pharmatech company, today announced the first AI-designed molecule for immuno-oncology to enter human clinical trials. The A2a receptor antagonist, which is in development for adult patients with advanced solid tumours, was co-invented and developed through a Joint Venture between Exscientia and Evotec, including application of Exscientia’s next generation 3-D evolutionary AI-design platform as part of Centaur Chemist® . The drug candidate has potential for best-in-class characteristics, with high selectivity for the target receptor, bringing together potential benefits of reduced systemic sides effects as well as minimal brain exposure to avoid undesired psychological side effects. Preclinical data related to this project will be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting to be held 9-14 April, 2021.
With this announcement, the company’s AI technologies and drug-hunting expertise are now responsible for the first two AI-designed drugs to enter Phase I testing, following on from Exscientia’s previous announcement in 2020.1
Andrew Hopkins, CEO of Exscientia said, “Immuno-oncology medicines are bringing benefit to a range of cancer patients. Our selective A2a receptor antagonist addresses a next-generation immuno-oncology strategy to empower the human immune system by reversing the effects of high adenosine concentrations. We set ambitious therapeutic objectives for this project, especially high selectivity for the A2a receptor and central nervous system (CNS) sparing properties, in order to reduce the likelihood of systemic side effects. Even with these challenging objectives, we were able to discover our candidate molecule within 8 months of project initiation.”
Tumour cells produce high levels of adenosine, a molecule that helps them escape immune system detection by binding to the A2a receptor on cancer fighting T-cells, reducing T-cell ability to eliminate disease.2 Exscientia’s AI-designed A2a receptor antagonist is being investigated for its ability to prevent adenosine from binding to the T-cell receptor and potentially promote anti-tumour T-cell activity.
ENDS
About Exscientia
Exscientia is an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven pharmatech committed to discovering and designing the best possible medicines in the fastest and most effective manner. Exscientia is the first company to progress AI-designed small molecules into the clinical setting and repeatedly demonstrate the ability of AI to transform the how drugs are created.
Drug design is precision engineering at the molecular scale. Exscientia has built dedicated AI systems that efficiently learn from the widest range of data and consistently reapply enhanced knowledge through iterations of design. Because Exscientia’s AI platform learns more effectively and rapidly than human-led efforts alone, candidate molecules satisfying complex therapeutic requirements are created with revolutionary efficiency. Exscientia believes that designing better drugs, faster, will allow the best ideas of science to rapidly become the best medicines for patients.
For more information visit us on www.exscientia.ai or follow us on Twitter @exscientiaAI .
1 Exscientia. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma and Exscientia Joint Development New Drug Candidate Created Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) Begins Clinical Trial. Available at: https://www.exscientia.ai/news-insights/sumitomo-dainippon-pharma-and-exscientia-joint-development Last accessed: April 2021.
2 Vigano, S., Alatzoglou, D., Irving, M., Ménétrier-Caux, C., Caux, C., Romero, P. and Coukos, G., 2019. Targeting adenosine in cancer immunotherapy to enhance T-cell function. Frontiers in immunology , 10 , p.925.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210408005918/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Mobix Labs Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Vision Aerial, Accelerating Global Drone Platform for National Security and Aerial Intelligence24.7.2026 13:00:00 CEST | Press release
Transaction accelerates Mobix Labs’ global aerial intelligence strategy and National Security Matters Initiative Mobix Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: MOBX) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Vision Aerial, Inc., a U.S.-based designer and manufacturer of American-built, National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)-compliant unmanned aerial systems. The definitive agreement moves the transaction beyond the previously announced letter of intent and represents a major step toward closing an acquisition that would expand Mobix Labs into one of the world’s most important technology growth markets: secure drones, autonomous aerial systems and aerial intelligence for national security, critical infrastructure, energy, public safety, industrial inspection and government operations. Vision Aerial’s customers and end-users include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, government agencies, energy and utility operators, research institutions and other organizations requiring performanc
Enhertu® Plus Pertuzumab Recommended for Approval in the EU by CHMP as First-Line Treatment for Patients with HER2 Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer24.7.2026 13:00:00 CEST | Press release
Recommendation based on DESTINY-Breast09 phase 3 trial results that showed Enhertu plus pertuzumab reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 44% versus THP with a median progression-free survival exceeding three years If approved, Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca’s Enhertu plus pertuzumab would become first new treatment in the EU in more than a decade for first-line HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer Enhertu® (trastuzumab deruxtecan) in combination with pertuzumab has been recommended for approval in the European Union (EU) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive (immunohistochemistry [IHC] 3+ or in-situ hybridization [ISH]+) breast cancer. Enhertu is a specifically engineered HER2 directed DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC) discovered by Daiichi Sankyo (TSE: 4568) and being jointly developed and commercialized by Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/NYSE: AZN). The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP)
SLB Announces Second-Quarter 2026 Results24.7.2026 12:50:00 CEST | Press release
Revenue of $8.97 billion increased 3% sequentially and 5% year on year GAAP EPS of $0.52 increased 4% sequentially and decreased 30% year on year EPS, excluding charges and credits, of $0.55 increased 6% sequentially and decreased 26% year on year Net income attributable to SLB of $786 million increased 5% sequentially and decreased 22% year on year Adjusted EBITDA of $1.90 billion increased 7% sequentially and decreased 7% year on year Cash flow from operations was $1.36 billion and free cash flow was $716 million Board approved quarterly cash dividend of $0.295 per share SLB (NYSE: SLB) today announced results for the second-quarter 2026. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260722694386/en/ The exterior of the SLB headquarters in Houston, Texas.Second-Quarter Results(Stated in millions, except per share amounts)Three Months EndedChangeJun. 30, 2026Mar. 31, 2026Jun. 30, 2025SequentialYear-on-yearRevenue $8,972 $8
NIQ Expands GenAI Capabilities Across gfknewron, Turning Trusted Intelligence into Decisions Faster24.7.2026 12:30:00 CEST | Press release
New capabilities help businesses uncover trends faster, simplify complex analysis, and accelerate confident decision-making NIQ (NYSE: NIQ), a leader in consumer intelligence, today announced the expansion of AI-powered Smart Insights across its gfknewron® platform. By bringing together markets and categories into a single view, gfknewron enables businesses to transform complex market, consumer and supply chain data into clear, actionable intelligence quickly. The latest enhancements help users identify trends, opportunities and performance drivers more quickly, reducing the time required to analyze large datasets and accelerating confident decision-making across teams. As brands and retailers face growing pressure to respond quickly to changing consumer behavior and market dynamics, the ability to unlock meaningful insights from increasingly rich datasets has become a significant competitive advantage. As AI is only as effective as the intelligence behind it, Smart Insights helps busi
Thales to Strengthen Romania’s Airspace Protection With Twelve Ground Master 200 MM/A Radars24.7.2026 10:05:00 CEST | Press release
The Romanian General Directorate for Armaments and the French Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA – the French defence procurement agency) have signed an agreement to supply twelve Thales GM200 Multi-Mission All-in-one (GM200 MM/A) radars to protect the Romanian airspace. This government-to-government agreement underlines the high level of partnership between France and Romania, within the framework of the European Union’s SAFE funding programme, in order to bolster Europe’s defence capabilities. The GM200 MM/A is part of Thales’ proven Ground Master radar family, which has already been deployed in over 40 countries, including now in Romania. In a context of growing collaboration between European nations to bolster collective security, the Romanian General Directorate for Armaments has just signed a landmark agreement with France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) to acquire twelve Thales Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission All-in-one (GM200 MM/A) radars. This government-to-governm
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom