BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VantAI, a leader in the fields of drug discovery and generative AI, announced today it has entered into an amended and restated collaboration and license agreement with Blueprint Medicines, a leading precision medicine company, to design and advance novel targeted protein degrader therapies to address important areas of medical need. The agreement expands the collaboration initiated in February 2022 to include an additional target program and names VantAI and Blueprint Medicines as the exclusive partners.
The partnership aims to challenge what is possible in Induced Proximity drug discovery, pursuing targets and molecular mechanisms that have traditionally been considered undruggable, or challenging to modulate, with traditional small molecule or biological therapeutics. Proximity modulators, including molecular glues, hetero-bifunctional compounds, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) blockers, are specialized small molecules designed to influence how proteins interact within cells. These modulators work by either inducing new protein interactions, modifying existing ones, or blocking certain protein interactions altogether, and therefore are capable of rewiring cell circuitry at the protein level. This unique ability to manipulate protein interactions allows these compounds to co-opt various cellular functions (e.g., degradation, phosphorylation, re-localization, etc.) against critical disease targets, opening up novel therapeutic possibilities beyond inhibition.
Leveraging VantAI's sophisticated geometric deep learning-based AI platform, VantAI and Blueprint Medicines aspire to create innovative molecular glue candidates that extend beyond the conventional Induced Proximity scope (e.g., recruiting and applying novel E3-Ligases beyond cereblon and Von Hippel-Lindau protein). Combining Blueprint Medicines' successful track record of designing and developing innovative precision therapies and VantAI's leadership position in AI, the collaboration seeks to harness engineered protein-protein interfaces to unlock proximity modulating compounds with superior properties and novel capabilities, opening new therapeutic options for challenging diseases.
“Blueprint Medicines’ rich understanding of intricate biological processes and recognition of how signaling cascades profoundly influence disease is a great match with VantAI’s systems biology mindset,” said Dr. Zach Carpenter, VantAI’s CEO. “Our unique and proprietary structural view of the proteome and Geometric Deep Learning prowess, led by Chief Scientist Michael Bronstein, combines with Blueprint Medicines’ discovery and developmental clout in very exciting ways – we are extremely excited about the potential of this collaboration to move the field forward.”
The partnership marks a significant validation point for VantAI, underscoring the expanding trust and confidence placed in its cutting-edge technology by leading industry players.
“VantAI’s approach encapsulates a uniquely large view of each target, which aligns with our focus on target science,” said Dr. Percy Carter, CSO of Blueprint Medicines. " Through the expanded collaboration, our research teams will work together to fully characterize target interactomes and leverage unique data-driven perspectives to unlock new ideas and better therapeutics, particularly in areas where screening is impossible through traditional methods.”
Under the amended and restated agreement, VantAI will be eligible to receive up to $1.25 billion in contingent milestone payments for the three target programs, in the aggregate. Blueprint Medicines has the option, at its sole discretion, to expand the collaboration to include a fourth target program. In addition, Blueprint Medicines will be obligated to pay VantAI tiered percentage royalties on the net sales of licensed products in the mid-single digits on annual net sales of each licensed product.
About VantAI
VantAI is at the forefront of applying artificial intelligence technologies to drug discovery. With a cross-disciplinary team of world-class scientists and engineers, VantAI is uniquely suited to power a best-in-class solution for induced proximity, where the nuance of protein-protein interactions, such as those in protein degradation, has outsized influence on drug success. VantAI has collaborated with and achieved milestones for numerous leading biopharma partners on difficult to drug targets leading to the launch of new development programs with exciting properties. For more information, please visit www.vant.ai.
