Seek Labs Advances Development of Pan-Orthopoxvirus Therapeutic with BioSeeker™ and PTAP™

BioSeeker mapped more than 10,000 isolates and identified targetable regions that provide 100% strain coverage across the viral family. Early in vitro testing of the BioSeeker-developed therapeutic construct achieved up to 90% viral knockdown in a vaccinia virus model, laying the groundwork for Seek Labs to advance a pan-orthopox therapeutic.

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Seek Labs, a biotech company boldly seeking a healthier world through AI-powered discovery, programmable therapeutics, and point-of-care diagnostics, today announced progress toward developing the world’s first pan-orthopoxvirus therapeutic, a breakthrough with significant implications for global health security. Orthopoxviruses are part of a group of double-stranded DNA viruses in the Poxviridae family that infect mammals, which include subtypes like human smallpox and Mpox, with new emerging species frequently reported. Orthopoxviruses remain high-concern pathogens due to their epidemic potential, risk of biothreat use, and a re-emergence of Mpox infections worldwide. By leveraging BioSeeker™ and using the company’s novel Programmable Target Ablation Platform (PTAP™), Seek Labs has developed multiplexed guides with pan-orthopoxvirus coverage, enabling development of a programmable CRISPR-based therapeutic.

Orthopoxviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses that include smallpox, Mpox, vaccinia, cowpox, and rabbitpox. While not all of the subtype diseases are ongoing concerns, a pan-orthopox therapeutic increases the potential to shield against any new strains that could emerge. BioSeeker pinpoints genomic sequences that remain stable across viral evolution while simultaneously screening against host genomes to minimize off-target risks. This approach enables CRISPR-based PTAP constructs to irreversibly disrupt target viral DNA, preventing replication and limiting infection.

Seek Labs has initiated development of a pan-orthopox candidate, beginning with in vitro validation of the BioSeeker-identified guides in a vaccina virus model, which has already demonstrated strong viral knockdown. While these results are early, they show strong potential for a therapeutic with broad coverage across the orthopoxvirus family. Ongoing development includes further in vitro optimization, preclinical in vivo studies, and the safety and efficacy evaluations required for clinical development.

“Orthopoxviruses continue to evolve, emerge, and threaten global health security. Development of pan-targeting therapeutics is not just innovative, it’s imperative,” said Alison O’Mahony, Vice President of Therapeutic Research at Seek Labs. “By harnessing BioSeeker’s AI-enabled precision and PTAP’s programmable targeting, these broad-spectrum treatments could neutralize entire viral families, outpacing mutations, bridging gaps in vaccination, and providing a vital and viable solution for natural outbreaks or potential bioterrorism.”

About Seek Labs

At Seek Labs, we don’t wait for change—we build it. We’re pursuing the breakthroughs the world can’t wait for by developing programmable “seek-and-destroy” therapeutics and point-of-care molecular diagnostics that close the gap between outbreak and intervention. At the core of this mission is a layered architecture: BioSeeker™ serves as the Intelligence Layer, continuously mapping conserved viral vulnerabilities in real time; these insights activate our Deployment Layers (PTAP™ for programmable therapeutics and SeekIt™ for molecular diagnostics), forming a full-stack development engine designed to accelerate response, innovation, and impact across global health.

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Seek Labs is a proud member of BioHive, Utah’s collaborative life sciences ecosystem. Together with our partners, we’re building faster, smarter solutions for the world’s most urgent health challenges.

Forward-Looking Statements and Regulatory Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the discovery, development, and potential applications of Seek Labs’ technologies. These statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, including those related to research, regulatory review, manufacturing, clinical development, and commercialization. Early-stage results, such as in vitro data, may not predict future safety or efficacy, and actual outcomes may differ materially.