Denali Taps PharmEnable to Discover AI-Based Small Molecule Candidates for Neurological Diseases

San Francisco, California-based Denali Therapeutics has reached out to Cambridge, UK-based PharmEnable to discover molecular candidates for neurodegenerative diseases with artificial intelligence (AI).

PharmEnable’s AI drug discovery platform will be paired with Denali’s expertise in delivering therapeutics across the blood brain barrier (BBB). The multi-year collaboration will include joint research programmers against undisclosed targets, which will be initiated over the next two years. 

Under the agreement, PharmEnable will receive an upfront payment as well as potential milestones. Small molecule candidates from the deal will be further developed and commercialized by Denali. 

Related article: Recounting 25 Years of Genetic and Human Diversity Discovery With deCODE Founder Kari Stefansson 

Denali Gives Updates on Neurodegenerative Collabs

Denali recently gave updates on its lead programs and multiple ongoing collaborations with Takeda, Sanofi, and Biogen. 

Denali’s flagship program, DNL310, is designed to treat MPSII, better known as Hunter syndrome. The treatment incorporates their BBB-crossing transport vehicle (TV) platform, and was reported to be on track to begin a “potentially registrational” Phase 2/3 study in the first half of 2022. 

The company’s second program DNL593 was developed in collaboration with Takeda. The investigational drug has begun a first-in-human study for GRN-related frontotemporal lobe dementia (FTD-GRN). 

Meanwhile, Denali’s partner Sanofi has initiated a Phase 2 study on their RIPK1 inhibitor DNL788 for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The initiation of the trial triggered a milestone payout of $40 million from Sanofi. 

Denali is also looking forward to the start of late-stage studies on their LRRK2 inhibitor DNL151, which will be initiated by Biogen, under a collaboration estimated to be worth over $1 billion.

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Joy Lin

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