David Baker
David Baker is Professor and Institute Leader at the University of Washington, where he also serves as Director at the Institute for Protein Design and UW Medicine’s Institute for Protein Design. He is Co-founder and Lab Head at the University of Washington Institute for Protein Design.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A-Alpha Bio wins $620,472 NSF Phase II SBIR to develop molecular-glue discovery system
Seattle startup A-Alpha Bio received a $620,472 NSF Phase II SBIR grant to develop a system that identifies molecular glues which tag disease-causing proteins for cellular degradation, aiming to target previously 'undruggable' proteins for diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer and autoimmune disorders.
Takeda buys Seattle startup PvP Biologics for up to $330M, will advance TAK-062 into Phase 2
Japanese pharmaceutical Takeda acquired Seattle biotech PvP Biologics for up to $330 million in late February, taking over its TAK-062 (Kuma062) program and all clinical and manufacturing activities while laying off PvP staff. Takeda plans to run phase 2 trials of the enzyme-based celiac disease treatment that PvP developed after earlier funding of $35 million supported phase 1 work.
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.
Organizations
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Institute for Protein Design Director · current
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University of Washington Professor / Institute Leader (Institute for Protein Design) · current
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UW Institute for Protein Design Co-founder and Lab Head, Nobel Laureate · current
