Sareum Holdings, a Cambridge-based clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced a strategic collaboration with AI-driven drug discovery firm Receptor.AI to accelerate the development of blood-brain barrier (BBB)-permeable TYK2/JAK1 inhibitors for neuroinflammatory diseases. The partnership aims to generate high-quality candidates suitable for preclinical development in conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease.
The collaboration represents a significant step forward in addressing the challenge of developing kinase inhibitors that can effectively penetrate the central nervous system. Sareum shares climbed 15% to 18.95 pence following the announcement, reflecting investor confidence in the strategic partnership.
Building on Promising Preclinical Findings
The agreement builds upon Sareum's previously announced preclinical work, which identified three TYK2/JAK1 compounds with meaningful BBB penetration. Notably, one of these compounds demonstrated particularly strong levels of free drug in the brain, reinforcing their potential for treating diseases requiring central nervous system exposure.
"This collaboration is a logical and timely next step following our recent findings on BBB-penetrant TYK2/JAK1 inhibitors," said Stephen Parker, Sareum's Executive Chairman. "Receptor.AI's expertise in integrating predictive modelling and generative chemistry into the discovery process will help us accelerate the identification of high-potential candidates for neuroinflammatory conditions."
Leveraging AI for Complex Drug Design
The partnership addresses one of the most challenging aspects of neuroinflammatory drug development: designing BBB-permeable, isoform-selective kinase inhibitors. Receptor.AI will contribute its proprietary AI-enabled platform to support compound discovery and optimization, utilizing virtual screening and molecular design tools to identify candidates with strong target binding, brain penetration, selectivity, and synthetic feasibility.
Dr. Alan Nafiev, Chief Executive Officer of Receptor.AI, emphasized the systematic approach enabled by AI technology: "Our partnership with Sareum reflects the potential for AI to systematically optimise early-stage discovery. Our closed-loop workflow enables multi-parameter optimisation from day one, combining structural modelling, generative chemistry, and predictive profiling to address binding, selectivity, brain penetration, and synthetic feasibility simultaneously."
Division of Responsibilities and Timeline
Under the collaboration terms, Sareum will oversee compound synthesis, laboratory testing, and profiling of absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) to evaluate how potential drug candidates behave in the body. This comprehensive approach ensures that promising compounds are thoroughly characterized before advancing to preclinical development.
The project is expected to commence imminently and complete within four months. Sareum will retain ownership of all intellectual property and compounds arising from the collaboration, with no ongoing milestone payments due to Receptor.AI following project conclusion.
Targeting Significant Medical Need
The collaboration focuses on neuroinflammatory conditions where there is strong scientific and commercial interest in the role of JAK inhibitors, particularly TYK2. The company believes that a TYK2/JAK1 inhibitor that acts within the brain represents a promising therapeutic approach for treating multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease.
Parker noted that the AI-driven approach offers significant advantages: "This technology allows us to harness the speed and accuracy of AI to derisk and optimise our discovery and early development."
The partnership represents a convergence of Sareum's expertise in kinase inhibitor development with Receptor.AI's advanced computational capabilities, potentially accelerating the timeline for bringing new neuroinflammatory treatments to patients who currently have limited therapeutic options.
