Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners (Axcelead DDP) has signed a drug discovery service agreement with Astellas Pharma to explore new candidate compounds for targeted protein degraders.
Japan-based Axcelead DDP focuses on targeted protein degradation for the next generation of small-molecule drug discovery. It offers the DegLead Platform, an integrated service solution.
DegLead addresses challenges in targeted protein degrader discovery. The challenges include synthetic technologies for rapid generation of targeted protein degraders, compound libraries, screening systems, and profiling assays systems.
Under the agreement, the drug discovery solution provider will assist Astellas in targeted protein degrader discovery using the DegLead Platform, aiming to generate breakthrough drug candidate compounds.
Axcelead DDP representative director and CEO Kengo Okada said: “We are pleased to conclude this agreement with Astellas based on their positive evaluation of our core technology, the integrated DegLead Platform solution.
“This agreement is evidence that our drug discovery solution for targeted protein degrader is a promising service that provides proprietary value to our clients.
“We continue to support our clients’ drug discovery by continuously evolving our pharmaceutical company-derived drug discovery platform by incorporating cutting-edge technologies.”
Axcelead DDP was established in July 2017 based on Takeda Pharmaceutical’s drug discovery platform.
The company integrates screening, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology/biology, DMPK, and safety research into one centre with a research base and original compound library.
Axcelead DDP combines advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to create new drug candidates.
The firm offers solutions to various challenges in drug discovery, from exploratory research to clinical development.
In September this year, the drug discovery company partnered with US-based Acadia Pharmaceuticals to discover and develop new medicines for unmet medical needs.
In the same month, Axcelead DDP forged a research and collaboration agreement with Eli Lilly and Company for multiple drug discovery programmes.
