Unnatural Products Announces BridgeBio Exercises Option to License Macrocyclic Therapeutics for Development in Rare Diseases and Oncology

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Unnatural Products, Inc. (UNP), a biotech developing orally-delivered macrocyclic peptides to address previously undruggable targets, announced today that BridgeBio Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:BBIO), has exercised its option to license macrocyclic peptide candidates discovered using UNP's AI-enabled massively parallel chemistry platform.

This milestone signifies a significant milestone in the collaboration between the two companies, and reinforces the potential of macrocyclic peptides as a novel therapeutic modality for rare diseases and oncology. Macrocyclic peptides are a unique class of therapeutic compounds characterized by large, cyclic structures that offer significant advantages over traditional therapies such as small molecules and monoclonal antibodies. Their unique structure provides high stability, potent binding affinity, and the ability to access difficult-to-reach intracellular targets, positioning them as a promising therapeutic class.

"We are excited to see BridgeBio exercise its option, which marks a pivotal moment for both Unnatural Products and the field of macrocyclic peptide therapeutics," said Cameron Pye, Ph.D., CEO and Co-Founder, Unnatural Products. "This collaboration deal highlights the growing recognition of macrocyclic peptides as a powerful new class of therapeutics. Our platform enables the design of peptides that can reach intracellular targets that have long been considered undruggable with conventional therapies, to address critical unmet medical needs in oncology and rare genetic diseases."

Under the terms of the agreement, UNP assumed responsibility for research and preclinical development, and upon exercise, BridgeBio will assume responsibility for further preclinical and clinical development of the macrocyclic peptide candidates emerging from the collaboration. UNP received milestone payments for the progress of the research and option to license and will receive development and sales milestone payments as the program progresses, as well as tiered royalties upon commercialization.

UNP's proprietary platform combines massively parallel chemistry with machine learning to design and optimize macrocyclic peptides. This approach enables the rapid generation of drug-like molecules capable of binding specific intracellular targets, including those involved in cancer and rare genetic diseases, which have traditionally been considered undruggable. The platform enables the development of peptides that are not only selective and potent but also orally bioavailable, overcoming one of the main limitations of peptide-based therapies that typically require injection.

About Unnatural Products, Inc.

Unnatural Products, Inc. (UNP), a California biotech company, has developed a platform that addresses the complexities of medicinal chemistry in the macrocycle space through a combination of parallel experimentation and machine learning. Founded by macrocycle pioneers whose academic work uncovered how Nature's macrocycles work, UNP is developing a portfolio of therapeutic macrocycles against high-value and traditionally difficult-to-drug targets. For more information, visit www.unnaturalproducts.com.

For partnering opportunities, email: [email protected].

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