AI drug discovery in the peptide space has moved past in-silico screening into actual IND candidates. Coverage on this site spans Profluent's recombinase and AlphaGen work, MeddenoVo and Mexa-AI de novo platforms, Generate Biomedicines, and the HMD-AMP transformer-based AMP discovery platform from HLB Innovation (Nature Biomedical Engineering).
The most cited 2026 reads: AACR 2026 abstracts on AI-discovered cyclic peptides advancing toward IND, Profluent's gene-editing recombinase work that opens a new functional design axis, and the DDA-BERT transformer architecture for peptide identification.
Stories here cover platform launches, validation papers, and partnership deals. See #ai, #drug-discovery, and #peptide-discovery for adjacent threads.
Profluent, the Bezos-backed AI biotech, announced April 28 a multi-program research collaboration with Eli Lilly worth up to $2.25B in development and commercial milestones plus tiered royalties. Profluent will use its AI platform to design custom recombinases that integrate or modify large stretches of DNA at precise genomic loci, with the goal of generating site-specific gene-editing therapies for diseases of severe unmet need. The deal extends Lilly's diversification beyond peptide therapeutics, following a $1.12B Seamless Therapeutics recombinase deal in January 2026 and the closed Kelonia Therapeutics, Centessa, Orna, and Ajax acquisitions earlier in the quarter.
Daiichi Sankyo's collaboration with Meddenovo's AI-powered Mexa technology — for de novo design of cyclic peptides — is among the highlighted partnerships at the Boston peptide summit. The deal positions Daiichi to leverage Meddenovo's machine-learning platform for peptide candidates beyond the company's traditional small-molecule oncology focus. Cyclic peptide AI design is one of the fastest-moving subcategories in peptide drug discovery, with Circle Pharma, Bicycle Therapeutics, and Unnatural Products all pursuing distinct platform architectures.
Novo Nordisk and OpenAI announced a partnership to deploy AI across R&D, manufacturing, and corporate functions, with pilot programs launching immediately and full integration targeted by end of 2026. The deal positions Novo to analyze complex datasets, identify new drug candidates, and compress R&D timelines as it fights to claw back market share from Eli Lilly. OpenAI will also provide AI literacy training to Novo's global workforce.