VantAI, a leader in generative AI for drug discovery, and Halda Therapeutics, an innovator in Regulated Induced Proximity Targeting Chimeras (RIPTACs), have announced a significant strategic research collaboration valued at over $1 billion. This partnership aims to accelerate the discovery and development of selective, proximity-based therapeutics across oncology and immunology indications, leveraging two category-defining platforms.
The collaboration is structured to include upfront payments, research support, success-based development and commercial milestones, and tiered royalties on net sales. It also offers a framework for future expansion, signaling a long-term commitment to innovation in this rapidly evolving therapeutic space.
VantAI will deploy its Neo-1 foundation model and NeoLink high-throughput structural proteomics platform to identify and validate novel, context-specific target-effector pairs.
At the core of the alliance is the synergy between VantAI's advanced AI capabilities and Halda's novel RIPTAC modality. VantAI will deploy its Neo-1 foundation model and NeoLink high-throughput structural proteomics platform to identify and validate novel, context-specific target-effector pairs. These identified pairs will then be integrated into Halda’s RIPTAC development pipeline.
Halda's RIPTACs represent a distinctive approach to drug development, utilizing a "hold-and-kill" mechanism to achieve potent, cell-selective effects within disease-relevant tissues. By combining Halda's validated therapeutic modality with VantAI's AI-driven rational drug design engine, the partnership is positioned to create a new generation of proximity-based therapeutics meticulously tailored to specific disease signatures.
Zachary Carpenter, Co-Founder and CEO of VantAI, emphasized the transformative potential of induced proximity, stating, "Induced proximity is poised to unlock a new and exciting chapter of medicine, including but also beyond protein degradation. Halda is leading this next wave, already demonstrating its potential in the clinic. Together, we’re advancing a new generation of RIPTACs—leveraging the unique properties of this modality to address previously inaccessible targets, with the potential to meaningfully impact patients underserved by current treatment options."
Echoing this sentiment, Christian Schade, President and CEO of Halda Therapeutics, highlighted the complementary nature of the collaboration. "VantAI’s proprietary platform enables the systematic rewiring of protein interactions with precision. By pairing Halda’s novel RIPTAC modality with VantAI’s AI-driven rational drug design engine, the partnership will complement platform discovery efforts and will help deliver the next generation of selective, proximity-based therapeutics tailored to disease-specific signatures."
Halda Therapeutics currently has a lead candidate, HLD-0915, progressing through Phase 1/2 clinical trials for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). HLD-0915 is a bifunctional small molecule designed to selectively target prostate cancer cells by bringing together an androgen receptor and an essential effector protein in a defined orientation. This precise interaction forms a ternary complex that disrupts essential cellular functions, leading to an anti-tumor effect. Preclinical studies have shown HLD-0915 to induce tumor shrinkage and reduce prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, demonstrating a favorable therapeutic index even in drug-resistant models.
VantAI's approach focuses on deciphering the dynamic networks of protein interactions that drive biological functions. Their NeoLink platform generates large-scale interactomics data, providing a detailed 3D understanding of molecular connections and cellular behavior. This enables the company to develop novel therapeutic strategies that modulate or block protein interfaces, making previously undruggable targets accessible.
This collaboration underscores the growing influence of AI in drug discovery and the increasing interest in novel therapeutic modalities like induced proximity, which aim to offer greater selectivity and efficacy for challenging diseases.