Mid-Atlantic BioTherapeutics Partners with Accelero Biostructures to Develop New USP30 Inhibitors

Mid-Atlantic BioTherapeutics (MABT) and Accelero Biostructures (Accelero) have initiated a research collaboration aimed at discovering new USP30 inhibitors to treat neurological conditions and other significant medical issues. Accelero will employ its innovative ABS-OneStepSM platform, which combines high-throughput protein X-ray crystallography-based fragment screening with machine learning/artificial intelligence (ML/AI)-based computational chemistry, to generate potential drug candidates. MABT will handle all preclinical evaluations and further development of the compounds identified.

David Horn, M.D., CEO of MABT, expressed optimism about targeting USP30, an emerging enzyme with potential therapeutic implications for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. He emphasized the significance of the collaboration with Accelero, which leverages the ABS-OneStep platform to swiftly discover promising new compounds.

Debanu Das, Ph.D., Co-Founder and CEO of Accelero, highlighted that the partnership underscores the capabilities of the ABS-OneStep platform in identifying novel chemical entities that can effectively target proteins like USP30. This platform has demonstrated success across various protein targets, and Das is confident that it will similarly identify new molecules targeting USP30.

USP30, a deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB), plays a vital role in regulating cellular functions, particularly those associated with mitochondria. USP30 controls mitophagy, the process by which cells selectively remove damaged mitochondria to maintain cellular health and prevent oxidative stress. Research suggests that USP30 is significant in numerous neurological diseases.

Founded in 2011, MABT is dedicated to addressing severe diseases, including rabies encephalitis, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases, as well as other serious neurological disorders. The organization has received Orphan Drug Designation for its main rabies program and is working on innovative treatments for various neurological conditions. MABT evaluates new strategies and approaches that meet significant medical needs and commercial potential.

Established in 2015, Accelero Biostructures leverages over two decades of expertise in structural genomics and biology to provide high-throughput protein X-ray crystallography solutions for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, supporting structure-based drug discovery and protein engineering. ABS-OneStepSM, Accelero's next-generation platform, facilitates early drug discovery by using a fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) approach. This method addresses key challenges in conventional FBDD by offering a highly sensitive, efficient, and experimental single-step process for identifying fragment hits and their 3D structures through high-throughput protein X-ray crystallography.

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