DeepCure CEO Kfir Schreiber. Photo DeepCure
DeepCure is an Israeli medtech startup that uses an artificial intelligence AI drug discovery engine to develop novel, small molecule therapeutics. The company closed a $24.6 million Series A-1 financing round led by IAG Capital Partners.
Small molecule therapeutics are drugs made up of relatively small organic molecules, typically with a molecular weight of less than 900 Daltons. They are a major class of pharmaceutical drugs and are used to treat a wide range of diseases.
Due to their small size, small molecule therapeutics can be absorbed into the bloodstream more easily and can pass through cell membranes to reach their targets within cells. This allows for a variety of administration methods, including oral administration, injection, and inhalation. Because they are typically more soluble in water or fat, small molecule therapeutics tend to have better bioavailability, meaning that a larger proportion of the drug reaches its target in the body.
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Small molecules can interact with a wide range of biological targets, including proteins, enzymes, and nucleic acids. This makes them versatile and allows them to be used to treat a variety of diseases.
The development of new small molecule therapeutics is an active area of research. Scientists are constantly working to develop new drugs that are more effective, have fewer side effects, and can target new disease pathways.
According to Sciencedirect.com, Drug development comprises all the activities involved in transforming a compound from drug candidate (the end-product of the discovery phase) to a product approved for marketing by the appropriate regulatory authorities. The website adds that it is an enterprise characterized “predominantly by failure punctuated by occasional successes, rather than the other way around.”
DeepCure was founded in 2018 by some of the industry’s “preeminent” drug-discovery scientists and technologists to “accelerate breakthrough science, developed by world-leading AI engineers, data scientists and biologists.” The company’s vision is to use AI-driven discovery to create better molecules and faster cures for every disease-relevant protein target.
DeepCure boasts that it is developing several novel preclinical candidates across different “undruggable” classes, ranging from polypharmacology programs to protein-protein interactions and previously “impossible” specificity challenges critical in various indications in areas of high unmet medical need. And, it says, this means shorter timelines to develop the “highest-quality” drug candidate and boasts that its technology “ensures the discovery and development of novel, small molecule drugs that were previously undiscoverable using conventional methods.”
“IAG Capital Partners is widely recognized for its deep understanding of technology and identifying innovations that can have the most impact,” said Kfir Schreiber, CEO and Co-Founder, DeepCure. “Our team will benefit from their broad experience, and we are excited to have Dr. Ehsan Jabbarzadeh join our Board of Directors. We also value the continued support of our existing investors.”
