The Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) and Aganitha, a cutting-edge ‘in silico’ solutions provider, have joined forces to revolutionize therapeutic design using Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). An umbrella memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between CCMB, a part of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), and Aganitha to apply Generative AI solutions for the design of small molecules and antibodies. The collaboration aims to translate CCMB’s research findings into therapeutic candidates for various diseases, including malaria, tuberculosis (TB), and neurological disorders.
Dr. Puran Singh Sijwali, Senior Principal Scientist at CCMB, emphasized the necessity of collaborative efforts to develop new drugs and vaccines for malaria. He explained, “We are leveraging Aganitha’s Generative AI capabilities to predict, test, and optimize potential antimalarial compounds using validated parasite drug targets.” Dr. Raghunand Tirumalai, another Senior Principal Scientist at CCMB, expressed optimism about the structure-based discovery of small molecule inhibitors for targeting essential proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which could lead to the identification of multiple novel anti-TB therapeutic leads.
In the field of neuroscience and pharmacology, the collaboration between CSIR-CCMB and Aganitha is a significant step forward. Dr. Janesh Kumar, Senior Principal Scientist at CCMB, highlighted the development of nanobody binders that target a class of neurotransmitter receptors called GluD1 receptors. These nanobodies have the potential to modulate GluD1 receptor activity, offering new avenues for treating neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and epilepsy. Dr. Kumar also noted that nanobodies' small size and high specificity make them promising for targeted drug delivery and imaging applications, leading to tailored treatments with reduced side effects.
CCMB Director Dr. Vinay Nandicoori emphasized that the collaboration with Aganitha combines CCMB’s strength in fundamental research on disease biology with Aganitha’s expertise in AI-driven solutions. He believes that this collaboration will enable CCMB to turn their laboratory leads into real-life solutions.
Prasad Chodavarapu, co-founder and Managing Director of Aganitha, sees the partnership between CCMB and Aganitha as an exemplary academic-industry collaboration to tackle human diseases and suffering. He stated, “We are a multi-disciplinary team of researchers specializing in multi-scale systems biology, quantum chemistry, and Generative AI. This collaboration harnesses the virtual loop of innovation between Deep Science and Deep Tech to transform the global life sciences R&D landscape.”
The collaboration between CCMB and Aganitha represents a promising endeavor that combines the power of AI and cutting-edge science to accelerate the development of novel therapeutics. By leveraging Generative AI solutions, this partnership has the potential to revolutionize the way therapeutics are designed, tested, and optimized, ultimately benefiting patients worldwide.
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