Institute for Protein Design
Facts
- HQ
- University of Washington School of Medicine
- Sectors
- Biotechnology, Biopharma, Drug discovery, Protein engineering
University of Washington Launches Vilya with $50 Million to Develop Membrane-Permeable Peptide Drugs
University of Washington researchers developed custom peptides that penetrate cell membranes, enabling a new class of drugs with combined benefits of small molecules and protein therapeutics. They founded Vilya, backed by $50 million from Arch Venture Partners, to commercialize this drug platform described in Cell.
Pacific Northwest Life Sciences Update: Talus Bioscience Raises $9.75M, Kineta Merges with Yumanity, UW’s David Baker Launches Charm Therapeutics
Recent Pacific Northwest life sciences news includes Talus Bioscience raising $9.75 million, Kineta going public via merger with Yumanity, and UW's David Baker launching Charm Therapeutics. Key partnerships involve TwinStrand and Singular Genomics developing rare gene variant tests, and Umoja Biopharma partnering with TreeFrog Therapeutics for stem cell therapies.
David Baker Launches London Biotech Charm Therapeutics with $50M Series A to Advance Deep Learning Drug Discovery
David Baker, leader of the University of Washington Institute for Protein Design, co-founded London-based Charm Therapeutics, which uses deep learning to discover new small molecule therapeutics, and recently secured $50 million in Series A funding. The company's DragonFold platform predicts protein-small molecule interactions to aid drug discovery in cancer and other diseases.
Five Finalists for 2022 GeekWire Health Innovation of the Year Include A-Alpha Bio and UW Institute for Protein Design
The 2022 GeekWire Health Innovation of the Year finalists include A-Alpha Bio, Parse Biosciences, Tasso, Truveta, and the University of Washington’s Institute for Protein Design, highlighting advances in computational health approaches. Winners will be announced on May 12 at the GeekWire Awards, with community voting open until April 22.
DoD awards $1.1M to Seattle’s A-Alpha Bio to hunt antibodies for COVID-19 variants with LLNL collaboration
Seattle biotech A-Alpha Bio received a $1.1 million DoD sub-contract to collaborate with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, using its AlphaSeq platform and machine learning to identify high-affinity antibodies against current and future COVID-19 variants.
Andreessen Horowitz, Madrona and other tech VCs ramp up bets on AI-driven biotech startups as founders from software enter life sciences
Tech venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Seattle’s Madrona Venture Group are increasingly investing in life-science startups that use AI, machine learning and data science to speed drug discovery and development. Investors are following founders who transitioned from software to biotech—such as Sujal Patel of Nautilus and Terry Myerson of Truveta—seeing reduced perceived risk and new opportunity at this intersection.
Cyrus Biotechnology raises $18M and acquires Orthogonal Biologics, adding COVID-19 decoy therapeutic and deep mutational scanning platform
Seattle protein engineering company Cyrus Biotechnology raised $18 million and acquired Orthogonal Biologics, adding a deep mutational scanning platform and two protein therapeutics including a potential COVID-19 decoy. Cyrus leverages University of Washington IPD tools (Rosetta, RoseTTAfold) and has partnerships including a deal with Selecta Biosciences worth up to $1.5 billion.
Cyrus Biotechnology signs protein-engineering deal with Selecta Biosciences worth up to $1.5 billion to develop IL-2/ImmTOR immune therapy
Seattle-based Cyrus Biotechnology struck a protein-engineering collaboration with Boston’s Selecta Biosciences to engineer IL-2 combined with Selecta’s ImmTOR, a deal that could pay Cyrus up to $1.5 billion if milestones are met. Cyrus will use its software and lab testing to enhance IL-2 stability and function, adding to its existing partnerships and commercial sales of Cyrus Bench.
A-Alpha Bio raises $20M Series A led by Madrona to expand Seattle lab and scale protein-discovery platform
University of Washington spinout A-Alpha Bio raised $20 million in Series A funding led by Madrona Venture Group to expand downtown Seattle lab space and grow its machine-learning team for its protein-discovery platform. The company combines computational tools and yeast-based experiments to generate large protein-interaction datasets used to predict therapeutic protein candidates for diseases including COVID-19.
Icosavax IPO: Seattle biotech raises $180M, stock jumps 200% on first trading day (ICVX)
Seattle biotech Icosavax surged more than 200% on its NASDAQ debut after raising over $180 million by pricing shares at $15; the company develops virus-like particle vaccines and recently began phase 1/2 trials for a COVID-19 vaccine supported by a $10 million Gates Foundation grant.
Icosavax files for IPO after raising $150M and advancing nanoparticle COVID-19 and RSV vaccines
Seattle-based Icosavax, a 2017 spinout from the University of Washington’s Institute for Protein Design, has filed for an IPO after raising over $150 million and advancing nanoparticle-based COVID-19 and RSV vaccine candidates into early clinical trials with support from a $10 million Gates Foundation grant.
GeekWire Names Five Finalists for 2021 Innovation of the Year; Winners Announced May 20
GeekWire named five finalists for its 2021 Innovation of the Year award, highlighting Seattle-area breakthroughs from battery materials and vaccine tech to clean-energy purchasing, insect-tracking devices, and cloud-management tools. Community voting runs through April 30 and winners will be announced May 20 at the virtual GeekWire Awards presented by Wave Business.
Icosavax, UW IPD Spinout, Raises $100M Series B to Advance Computer-Designed Virus‑Like Particle Vaccines
Seattle biotech Icosavax, a University of Washington Institute for Protein Design spinout, raised $100 million in a Series B to develop computer-designed, virus-like particle vaccines including programs for COVID-19, RSV, and hMPV. The company, backed by investors led by RA Capital and supported by a $10 million Gates Foundation grant, has 17 employees and cites strong preclinical immune responses.
Seattle’s A-Alpha Bio Raises $2.8M Seed Round to Advance AlphaSeq Drug Discovery Platform
Seattle startup A-Alpha Bio raised $2.8 million in seed funding to advance its genetically engineered protein analysis platform, AlphaSeq, which accelerates drug candidate evaluation by sorting millions of protein interactions. The round was led by OS Fund and included investors such as Madrona Venture Group and AME Cloud Ventures.
People
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Chris Picardo Board Observer
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David Baker Director
