Pfizer has entered into a strategic partnership with PostEra to accelerate small molecule drug discovery through a platform technology developed based on generative chemistry.
Under the collaboration, Pfizer will leverage its extensive data and expertise, while PostEra its technology capabilities to advance the science of generative chemistry to produce advanced, scalable models for in-house, preclinical drug discovery.
As part of the collaboration, PostEra is entitled to receive an upfront payment and is eligible to receive additional payments as the project progresses.
Also, the company is expected to retain ownership rights to all algorithms it develops under the collaboration with Pfizer.
PostEra CEO Aaron Morris said: “PostEra is delighted to be working with Pfizer to solve some of the key pain points in preclinical drug discovery. As a team we are proud to be entering this collaboration and will be leveraging PostEra’s many advances in machine learning to help Pfizer accelerate progress toward novel therapeutics.”
Pfizer medicine design head Charlotte Allerton said: “We believe that our investments in machine learning technologies could potentially help us expedite preclinical drug discovery. PostEra’s technology complements this effort, and we look forward to seeing the results of the collaboration.”
Established in 2019, PostEra is a biotechnology firm specialised in machine learning technology, based on academic research at the University of Cambridge, for preclinical drug discovery.
The firm offers machine learning technology that accelerates the drug discovery process by designing novel molecular structures with optimised potency and drug-like properties.
PostEra said that its approaches will consider chemical synthesis, along with incorporated design hypotheses of medicinal chemists.
Its technology would address few important challenges in drug discovery research and development by integrating molecular design with chemical synthesis, said the company.
Furthermore, the company claimed that it partners with drug hunters to advance their preclinical programmes while also offering its synthesis technology through its web platform.
