AION Labs Launches New Startup Leveraging Machine Learning for Molecular Glue Discovery

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Jan 30, 2024, 08:30 ET

TenAces Formed by Israel-Based Venture Studio Comprising AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer, Teva, Israel Biotech Fund, Amiti Ventures and Amazon Web Services (AWS), powered by BioMed X

Founded by Experts in Molecular and Computational Biology, TenAces' AI-Powered Platform Leverages Targeted Protein Degradation for the Treatment for a Range of Diseases

REHOVOT, Israel , Jan. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AION Labs, the first-of-its-kind venture studio spearheading the adoption of AI technologies and computational science to solve therapeutic challenges, announced today the formation of TenAces Biosciences. TenAces is a startup developing a novel approach to discover new molecular glue therapies, leveraging machine learning to enhance development of treatments for a range of conditions.

TenAces emerged from AION Labs' fifth startup challenge to develop an AI platform to identify naturally occurring protein interactions leading to targeted protein degradation. The platform solution is expected to facilitate the discovery and development of molecular glue therapies for enhanced targeted protein degradation. Traditionally, molecular glues have been discovered serendipitously and are then used as a basis to attempt to discover new glues. TenAces is taking a different approach, by applying machine learning to study the various interactions, protein pairs, and multi-dimensional features to predict new molecular glues.

The uniqueness in TenAces' approach is integrating biology in the development of its machine learning algorithms, baking in multiple feedback loops with wet lab validations to further guide the algorithms and enhance their prediction capabilities.

"We are developing a novel solution for targeted protein degradation by enabling the identification of optimal E3 degraders and designing molecular glues for removal of disease-causing proteins. With some 85% of target proteins currently undruggable, we can potentially address a wide range of diseases," said Arnout Schepers, PhD, Founder and CEO of TenAces. "AION Labs has proven invaluable in facilitating the establishment of TenAces. The support of our pharma partners has been integral in shaping the company, providing the essential resources and guidance necessary to develop and eventually commercialize solutions that can facilitate more effective treatment."

Along with Dr. Schepers, TenAces' founding team comprises Tomer Sidi, PhD, as Chief AI Officer and Chen Lior, PhD, as Bioinformatics Lead. Dr. Sidi, previously a data scientist at the Data Science Research Center at the University of Haifa, is an expert in deep learning and bioinformatics, with a background in protein structure prediction. Dr. Lior, a PhD graduate from the Weizmann Institute of Science, possesses a strong background in bioinformatics and experimental biology.

"Establishing TenAces during these challenging times in Israel underscores the country's resilience as well as AION Labs' unwavering commitment to driving research and innovation to advance new AI-powered solutions for the benefit of patients and stakeholders," said Mati Gill, CEO of AION Labs. "TenAces' approach has the potential to change the landscape of targeted protein degradation by offering new avenues in the quest for new, effective therapies. Along with our partners, we are excited to work with Dr. Schepers and his team, providing the necessary resources and guidance to bring new treatments to market."

About AION Labs

AION Labs is a first-of-its-kind venture studio comprising AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer, Teva, the Israel Biotech Fund, Amiti Ventures, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), powered by BioMed X with the support of the Israeli Government via the Israel Innovation Authority, that have come together with one clear mission: to create and adopt groundbreaking new AI technologies that will transform the process of drug discovery and development in order to contribute to the health and well-being of all people world-wide.

AION Labs is a unique venture hub where brilliant innovators and scientist-founders convene from around the world to solve the biggest R&D challenges guided by years of accumulated know-how, data and experience in pharma. The lab leverages its partners' wealth of knowledge and a new multidisciplinary mindset with the ingenuity, agility and innovative power of Israel's start-up ecosystem, to develop strong companies with clear long-term strategies, that will pave the way to the future of healthcare. AION Labs cultivates innovation from within; its unique venture creation process bridges the gap between outstanding academic research in the field of AI and the biggest R&D needs in the discovery and development of new medicines for the benefit of patients.

For more information, visit aionlabs.com.

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SOURCE AION Labs