Protai Raises $8M Seed Round to Accelerate Drug Discovery

The Expanding Role of Technology in Drug Discovery: Protai's Approach

Technology is playing an increasingly vital role in the intricate processes of drug discovery and testing. Advancements in computational power and algorithmic sophistication are unlocking new avenues for analysis. Currently, the focus is shifting towards proteomics – the study of proteins and their interactions – and Protai is a startup spearheading this effort, having recently secured an $8 million seed funding round.

Understanding Disease Mechanisms

Illnesses manifest in the body through a cascade of events occurring at different organizational levels. For instance, if liver cell death occurs due to excessive production of a specific compound, further investigation reveals that inhibitory molecules may be failing to bind to the proteins responsible for activating production. This failure could stem from damage to the RNA coding for the protein, and so on.

Protai’s work is positioned within this framework, operating above the genomic and transcriptional levels – where genetic factors are identified – and below the cellular and systemic levels, where symptoms become readily apparent.

Building a Comprehensive Proteomic Database

The company has initially compiled what it asserts is the most extensive proteomic database available, encompassing approximately 50,000 samples derived from 6,000 research papers. A significant challenge was harmonizing the disparate data, a task aided by the application of natural language processing AI, to create a unified information source.

“The goal is to move beyond analyzing isolated, small-scale studies and instead leverage all available data pertaining to a particular disease,” explained CEO and co-founder Eran Seger. “However, this presents a challenge as proteins have been collected and sequenced under varying conditions, utilizing diverse instruments, protocols, and controls.”

Image Credits: Protai

By consolidating this data, Protai aims to generate a more comprehensive “map” of proteins and their interactions within the context of specific diseases. A deeper understanding of molecular-level processes is invariably beneficial.

Improving Drug Target Identification

“Our advancements in biological explainability contribute to the identification of superior drug targets and the development of more promising drug candidates,” stated Seger. “In a lung cancer proof-of-concept study, we identified several high-potential targets that are currently being pursued through our independent drug program, alongside biomarkers that could broaden the application of existing drugs to this condition.”

Protai co-founders Kirill Pevzner (left) and Eran Seger. Image Credits: Protai

The company’s ambition is to encompass the entire drug development pipeline, from initial tissue testing through to final clinical trials.

The Impact of AI-Powered Protein Structure Prediction

Recent breakthroughs in proteomics involve the utilization of AI models to predict the structure and function of proteins based solely on their amino acid sequences. This represents a significant shift in the field.

Models like DeepMind’s AlphaFold and the University of Washington’s RoseTTAfold can accurately predict protein structure from sequence data, a capability previously requiring costly and time-consuming laboratory experiments. This is fundamentally altering disciplines that previously relied on traditional methods.

CTO and co-founder Kirill Prevzner welcomes this progress: “We are integrating structural proteomics tools, including AlphaFold, into our platform in two key ways. First, to enhance the prediction of protein-protein interactions. Second, to improve our understanding of drug-target interactions. Both of these advancements will enable us to develop and refine optimal drug solutions for our identified targets.”

Future Development and Partnerships

The $8 million seed round, spearheaded by Grove Ventures and Pitango HealthTech, will be allocated to the continued development of the platform and the establishment of strategic partnerships and programs, as is typical for seed-stage funding.