Silicos
DISCOVERY WORKFLOW
Instead of looking for miniproteins within natural extracts (a long and cumbersome process), Activen’s scientists have developed a unique technique that identifies their amino acid sequences in silico: by reading genomic DNA.
Through the use of bioinformatics and artificial intelligence, we have already identified around 100.000 miniprotein sequences.
We are confident that SILICOS® database will reach 500.000 miniprotein sequences in the future, a number that exceeds by far the 175.000 natural chemicals identified after decades of natural extract research.
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Strikingly, less than 0.15% of the miniproteins in the SILICOS® database (1) have a previously reported function; this leaves over 99% of uncharted territory. Activen is thus using the approaches that are successful for the pharma industry to identify the future active ingredients.
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First, Activen identifies unmet market needs and focuses on a signaling pathway of interest beyond the reach for conventional classes of actives, and then aims at a membrane receptor – also called the target (2) - that is expressed on a specific cell population. Second, Activen relies on high throughput techniques to identify miniproteins that are binding to the target receptor (3). Third, we confirm the activity of the miniprotein, at the cellular (4) and clinical level (5).
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The intrinsic nature of miniproteins - being constituted of amino acids - allows a streamlined R&D process, from early stages of screening to later stages of development (manufacturing, analytics).
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Altogether, Activen has developed two proprietary assets: the SILICOS® miniprotein database and its associated discovery platform. Activen unique approach in the cosmetics industry allows to accelerate the discovery phase, leading to the identification of highly efficient molecules that easily generate industrial property – Miniproteins™.
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