Tel Aviv-based Scala Biodesign has unveiled with $5.5 million in funding led by TLV Partners. The company employs AI, physics-based modeling, and biological data analysis to enhance proteins, generating improved antibodies, enzymes, and vaccine components. Their mission is to revolutionize protein applications in pharmaceuticals, food technology, and industrial processes, reducing development time and costs. Co-founders Ravit Netzer and Dr. Adi Goldenzweig, former Weizmann Institute of Science Ph.D. students, pioneered the PROSS algorithm for protein redesign, currently collaborating with pharmaceutical firms. This AI-driven approach aligns with innovations like AlphaFold by Google’s DeepMind, accelerating protein-based advancements.
Scala Biodesign has officially launched with a substantial $5.5 million in seed funding to advance bioproduct development based on proteins. Hailing from Tel Aviv, this innovative company harnesses the power of AI-driven computational solutions, coupled with sophisticated modeling and comprehensive data analysis of naturally occurring proteins, to create enhanced antibodies, enzymes, and vaccine immunogens.
The funding round, which propelled Scala Biodesign into action, was spearheaded by TLV Partners, a prominent Israeli venture capital firm renowned for its investments in early-stage startups.
What sets Scala apart is its pioneering computational methodology, which leverages AI technology, physics-based modeling, and in-depth biological data analysis. This approach is instrumental in engineering and enhancing proteins for a multitude of purposes, ranging from the development of novel medicines, vaccines, and antibodies to the creation of proteins for food technology and industrial enzymes.
Ravit Netzer, the co-founder and CEO of Scala, elaborated on their mission, stating, “Proteins, the dynamic agents found in all living organisms, play a pivotal role in numerous products and industrial processes. Our vision is to empower companies to unlock the immense potential of proteins for crafting more effective therapeutics, affordable food products, and sustainable chemical manufacturing methods.”
Netzer added, “Presently, billions of dollars are annually invested in the engineering of these intricate molecules. We aim to position ourselves at the forefront of the forthcoming revolution in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, among others, by providing the tools to expedite the development of proteins into game-changing products with significantly reduced time and effort. Furthermore, by alleviating the challenges of protein development, we aspire to facilitate more companies in incorporating proteins into their products.”
Scala’s inception can be attributed to the collaboration of Ravit Netzer and Dr. Adi Goldenzweig, the company’s Chief Technology Officer. During their tenure as Ph.D. students at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, they pioneered algorithms for the redesign of natural proteins, aptly named PROSS. This breakthrough led to the creation of protein variants with notable enhancements in half-life, thermal stability, and expression levels.
PROSS has subsequently found applications in various commercial endeavors, with Scala currently engaged in collaborative protein engineering projects with several pharmaceutical companies.
In the broader landscape of AI-driven protein exploration, Scala Biodesign joins the ranks of trailblazers such as AlphaFold, a platform developed by DeepMind, a research organization and subsidiary of Google. This platform also employs AI and machine learning to expedite the discovery of new medicines through the analysis of proteins.
