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
Vertex Announces US FDA Approval for Label Extensions of ALYFTREK® and TRIKAFTA®, Expanding Availability of These Medicines to ~95% of All People With CF in the United States1.4.2026 13:30:00 CEST | Press release
-With this expansion, any variant that results in production of CFTR protein is now included in the indication for ALYFTREK and TRIKAFTA, reinforcing the impact these medicines have, regardless of the location of the variant in the CFTR protein--Approximately 800 more people with CF in the US are now eligible for a CFTR modulator for the first time- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved expanded use of ALYFTREK® (vanzacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor) for the treatment of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) ages 6 and older with a variant in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene that is either responsive based on clinical and/or in vitro data or results in production of CFTR protein. Additionally, the U.S. FDA has also expanded the indication statement for TRIKAFTA® (elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor and ivacaftor) in patients ages 2 and older. This label expansion was supported b
Agenus Announces First Patient Enrolled in Global Phase 3 BATTMAN Trial of BOT+BAL Immunotherapy Combination in MSS or pMMR Metastatic Colorectal Cancer1.4.2026 13:30:00 CEST | Press release
A Landmark Registrational Study Aiming to Redefine Outcomes in MSS mCRC Which Represents Approximately 95% of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer CasesColorectal Cancer Has Become the Leading Cause of Cancer-related Death in Adults Under Age 50 Agenus Inc. (Nasdaq: AGEN), a leader in immuno-oncology innovation, today announced that the first patient has been enrolled in the landmark global phase 3 BATTMAN (CO.33) trial (NCT07152821). This study is evaluating Agenus’ immunotherapy combination of botensilimab (BOT) plus balstilimab (BAL) versus best supportive care in patients with refractory, unresectable microsatellite stable (MSS)/mismatch repair proficient (pMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), a population long considered resistant to immunotherapy. This study is being conducted as a cooperative group trial led by the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) from Canada and run across Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand. More than 100 sites will participate across the academic cooper
Klarna Agrees to $1.7 Billion Transaction Supporting up to $40B+ of Lending1.4.2026 13:19:00 CEST | Press release
Klarna, the global digital bank and flexible payments provider, has entered into a new capital efficiency transaction in the form of a Significant Risk Transfer (SRT), covering $1.7 billion-worth of Euro denominated loans and freeing up capital to support continued growth. Klarna has entered into a three-year agreement with a consortium led by Värde Partners. This is Klarna's sixth SRT transaction and improves how effectively Klarna deploys its capital on a global basis. "Our banking license is one of our biggest competitive advantages," said Niclas Neglén, Klarna's Chief Financial Officer. "This is our largest and most efficient SRT transaction to date. These transactions allow us to maximize every unit of capital to support our continued momentum." The transaction follows Klarna’s recently announced $2 billion facility supporting $17B of US Financing expansion. About Klarna Klarna is a global digital bank and flexible payments provider. With over 118 million global active Klarna user
Americhem Launches nDryve™: PFAS-Free In-Melt Technology Platform for Functional Fibers1.4.2026 13:00:00 CEST | Press release
Americhem, Inc., a global polymer solutions provider, today announced the launch of nDryve™, a PFAS-free, in-melt surface-modifying technology platform designed to deliver durable multi-fluid repellency against alcohol and other low-surface-energy fluids in fiber systems. As global regulations accelerate the phase-out of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), manufacturers are under increasing pressure to maintain barrier performance without fluorinated chemistries. nDryve™ was developed to address this shift, offering a PFAS-free, in-melt alternative to conventional surface applied treatments. Engineered for Performance Without PFAS Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS have come under heightened regulatory scrutiny due to their persistence and potential environmental and health impacts. nDryve™ integrates directly into the polymer during melt processing, embedding surface-modifying functionality within the fiber matrix rather than relying on removable finishes. By engin
Biocytogen and Sihuan Pharmaceutical Announce Strategic Partnership in Weight Loss and Beyond1.4.2026 13:00:00 CEST | Press release
Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (Biocytogen, SSE: 688796; HKEX: 02315), a global biotechnology company that drives the research and development of novel antibody-based drugs with innovative technologies, today announced a strategic partnership with Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings Group Ltd. (Sihuan Pharmaceutical; HKEX: 00460). Under the agreement, both parties will combine Biocytogen’s leading fully human antibody discovery platform with Sihuan Pharmaceutical’s extensive capabilities in drug development, manufacturing, and commercialization. The collaboration will focus on advancing innovative therapies across multiple disease areas, including weight loss, leveraging complementary strengths to drive synergies and establish a long-term strategic partnership. Sihuan Pharmaceutical highly values the strength of Biocytogen’s technology platforms. In this collaboration, Biocytogen will leverage its integrated platforms, including proprietary target-humanized mouse models and
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