Nanoform Finland, an innovative nanoparticle medicine-enabling company today announced that it has granted AstraZeneca Plc a global online STARMAP (registered trademark) license. STARMAP is a digital AI version of the CESS (registrered trademark) technology that enables in-silico experiments to determine which molecules should be nanoformed. The license will enable AstraZeneca to screen molecules from drug discovery through to lifecycle management
As part of this licensing agreement, Nanoform will receive access to compound libraries and large data sets to undertake STARMAP screening and propose innovative product development concepts and strategies in collaboration with AstraZeneca.
This comes after several years of early-stage collaboration between Nanoform and AstraZeneca and a successfully completed technology evaluation partnership including STARMAP which has resulted in clinical candidate feasibility studies. STARMAP is well aligned with AstraZeneca’s ambitious sustainability goals.
STARMAP Online has been created as a direct request from Nanoform’s current and future partners who seek to maintain the level of confidence STARMAP offers, while integrating it into their own in-house molecule-selection processes. STARMAP Online creates the opportunity for clients to perform large numbers of in-silico CESS experiments from their desktop. This approach further supports Nanoform’s green ambition by ensuring that Nanoform progresses the molecules with the greatest probability of success.
STARMAP Online offers:
- Security and safety – the interface has been developed in alignment with ISO27001:2017 standards.
- Client submissions are confidential and seen only by clients (not by Nanoform), allowing molecules to be screened without sharing structures. Outputs are presented directly to the client via the system.
- Scalability and agility: The ability to manage thousands of molecules in a single submission to support the selection of candidates from molecule libraries is possible.
- Novel insights: STARMAP Online holds a database of some 20,000 pre-analysed, public-domain disclosed drugs and candidates. Clients can request thematic evaluations and understand the power of CESS in different therapeutic areas, target classes, and disease areas.
- “External collaboration is fundamental to advancing medicines into the hands of patients that need them. By combining Nanoform's AI based STARMAP approach and in-house nanotechnology expertise we can help to accelerate AstraZeneca’s medicine development goals and support more patient- and planet-centric medicine development initiatives,” said Christian Jones, Chief Commercial Officer of Nanoform.