Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, Inc. (Axcelead DDP) and Superluminal Medicines, Inc. (Superluminal) announced their intention to collaborate on drug discovery targeting specific molecular mechanisms associated with challenging biological targets, expanding on their established partnership to accelerate the development of innovative small-molecule therapeutics.
Building on Proven Collaboration
The two companies have established a strong working relationship through prior successful collaborations. Axcelead DDP previously provided high-quality in vivo pharmacological evaluations of proprietary compounds developed by Superluminal using its unique predict-design-test architecture. Additionally, the companies collaborated on predictive ADME modeling, resulting in computational models that both organizations can utilize for their respective business purposes.
Integrated Platform Approach
The new collaboration will combine Axcelead DDP's comprehensive drug discovery platform, which includes pharma-originated research data, experienced medicinal chemistry capabilities, and in vitro/in vivo pharmacology expertise, with Superluminal's cutting-edge computational, AI/ML, and structure-based drug design capabilities. This integrated approach aims to jointly address multiple defined molecular targets with high unmet medical needs.
"At Axcelead DDP, we have advanced our drug discovery platform, originally inherited from a top-tier pharmaceutical company, mainly through our own research, while strategically collaborating with external partners," said Kengo Okada, Ph.D., Representative Director and CEO of Axcelead DDP. "By applying this platform to support and accelerate Superluminal's drug discovery efforts targeting multiple mechanisms, we aim to contribute to the advancement of their pipeline and help address areas of high therapeutic demand."
Strategic Partnership Vision
Cony D'Cruz, CEO of Superluminal, emphasized the value of the partnership, stating, "We are pleased with our partnership with Axcelead DDP. We appreciate the deep pharma experience and broad range of capabilities that enable Axcelead DDP to provide comprehensive drug discovery support to companies such as Superluminal."
Okada further outlined Axcelead DDP's strategic vision: "Our vision is to remain the drug discovery solution provider of choice for a diverse range of innovation-driven partners."
Company Capabilities
Axcelead DDP, established in July 2017 as Japan's first drug discovery solution provider, inherited its drug discovery platform from Takeda Pharmaceutical. The company integrates screening, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology/biology, DMPK, and safety research functions with an original compound library and large drug discovery database in a state-of-the-art research facility.
Superluminal's platform creates candidate-ready compounds using a comprehensive combination of deep biology and chemistry expertise, machine learning, and proprietary big data infrastructure. The company's predict-design-test architecture accurately models protein shapes and designs highly selective compounds to target precise structural changes for therapeutic effect. Its discovery engine is powered by industry-leading pharmacokinetic and toxicology in silico prediction capabilities, with initial programs focused on high-value GPCR targets.
