Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Qubit Pharmaceuticals, a deep-tech company specializing in drug discovery through AI and simulation accelerated by hybrid HPC and quantum computing, is collaborating with Institut Curie, France's leading cancer research center, and the University of Bordeaux's Laboratoire de Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité. Together, they aim to explore innovative therapeutic avenues for cancer treatment.
The collaborative project focuses on the TREX1 enzyme, identified as a "two-in-one" therapeutic target. The enzyme, which typically protects cells from external threats, becomes activated during cell compression and nuclear rupture, contributing to the progression of tumors to more invasive stages. Dr. Nicolas Manel, Inserm researcher at Institut Curie, emphasizes the potential of inhibiting TREX1 to enhance the immune response against tumor cells and halt metastatic processes.
Qubit Pharmaceuticals, leveraging its drug design platform, Atlas, will utilize high-performance computing, simulation, and AI to develop molecules optimized for inhibiting TREX1. Atlas, capable of creating digital twins of drug candidates, enables rapid and accurate prediction of interactions. Institut Curie, with its Cancer Immunotherapy Center, will validate synthesized molecules through biological tests, while the University of Bordeaux will conduct biochemical and structural characterizations.
The collaboration aims to expedite the early stages of drug candidate discovery, offering more targeted and effective cancer therapies. Robert Marino, CEO of Qubit Pharmaceuticals, expresses enthusiasm for the collaboration's potential to accelerate the discovery of drug candidates, aligning with the shared commitment to advancing cancer research. Dr. Cécile Campagne, Director of Institut Curie’s Technology Transfer Office, emphasizes the role of simulation and AI in expediting drug candidate selection, ultimately benefiting patients by bringing promising immunotherapy treatments to fruition more quickly.
Source: globenewswire.com
