Ventus and Genentech
Ventus and Genentech partner for small-molecule medicine discovery
Ventus Therapeutics has entered a multi-year partnership with Roche’s Genentech for the discovery and optimisation of new small-molecule medicines, utilising Ventus’ AI/machine learning-enabled ReSOLVE drug discovery platform. The alliance harnesses the Ventus platform to support the medicinal chemistry strategy for Genentech’s active programmes.
ReSOLVE integrates protein science, structural biology and biophysics and is designed to create water networks within protein pockets, producing hydrocophore that aids in lead identification and optimisation for small-molecule medicines. This process reduces the time and cost associated with traditional screening methods.
Ventus will apply the platform for virtual screening and lead discovery against a range of targets, with Genentech taking on the subsequent stages of preclinical and clinical development, and the commercialisation of resulting products. The terms of the partnership include an upfront payment to Ventus, with potential for additional milestone payments that could exceed $460m, alongside tiered royalties on net sales.
Ventus Therapeutics chief scientific officer Michael Crackower stated: “ReSOLVE uniquely models the structure of water in motion to better understand protein structures, thereby shortening the drug discovery timeline and accelerating patient benefit. Genentech is a world leader in drug discovery, responsible for bringing some of the most important medicines of our time to patients. We look forward to working together to discover breakthrough medicines.”
Ventus has leveraged ReSOLVE to develop a pipeline of programmes, including the Phase II oral cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) inhibitor, VENT-03, for lupus, with potential applications in other immune and inflammatory diseases, inflammaging [chronic low-grade inflammation that develops with age] and cardiometabolic conditions.
Other programmes include VENT-02, a Phase II brain-penetrant, oral NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inhibitor for Parkinson’s disease, and caspase-4/5 inhibitor, VENT-04, currently in preclinical development. Ventus has also out-licensed the Phase I peripherally-restricted, oral NLRP3 inhibitor, VENT-01, to Novo Nordisk.
