Sanofi to Advance Innovative Bispecific Small-Molecule Project

Artificial-intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, Exscientia, has revealed that Sanofi will be advancing an innovative bispecific small-molecule project that was discovered through the companies’ modality collaboration, formed in 2017.

In an Aug. 5, 2019 press release, Exscientia specified that the new project was the result of two-years work, comprising the identification of promising dual target opportunities. The new bispecific investigational small-molecule Sanofi will be advancing targets two biologically validated pathways that are related to inflammation and the progression of fibrosis.

“We are delighted that Sanofi has exercised this option to advance a key collaboration program. The opportunity identified with Sanofi focuses on two highly relevant disease targets where normally two separate molecules would be required to achieve the relevant therapeutic effect,” explained Andrew Hopkins, CEO, Exscientia, in the press release. “Our AI-driven systems, coupled with integrated chemistry and assay resource from Sanofi, identified a single small molecule, with integrated pharmacophore, capable of interacting productively with both targets.”

Bispecific small molecules offer a weight advantage over previous approaches where two independent compounds were needed as they are capable of fulfilling the binding site requirements of two targets through an integrated pharmacophore. As a result of this advantage, these molecules are suitable for oral delivery.

Source: Exscientia