The grant provides $500,000 for the next 24 months and will allow the company to continue developing its platform technology, and to fund preclinical studies of its early stage lead candidates for cardiovascular and cancer therapies.
The project includes a bioinformatics-based understanding of nature’s evolutionary rules, and utilizes Protelica’s proprietary DNA mutagenesis technologies to develop small, specific and potent protein blockers.
Roberto Crea, Protelica’s founder, CEO and chief scientific officer, said: “We are very grateful to the National Science Foundation for acknowledging our research project as one of the most innovative in the country and for supporting the development of new protein therapeutics that may replace the first generation monoclonal antibody drugs.
“We believe our approach to antibody mimics discovery and optimization will lead to new therapeutics that may be more effective and less expensive. We are pleased to receive the validation of this peer-reviewed grant.”