companies

Kuano

Founded 2020
Employees 10+
Primary contact
Hauxton House
Mill SciTech Park, Mill Lane
CB22 5HX Cambridge
United Kingdom
Links
https://www.kuano.ai/
Diseases & Conditions
Sections
Technologies
Kuano combines quantum physics, AI and medicinal chemistry in an approach to transforming the discovery of therapeutics focused on enzyme inhibition. Enzymes represent the largest class of drug targets, with over $40 billion of pharmaceutical sales attributable to small molecule inhibitors of enzymes. The market is seeing considerable demand for enzyme inhibitors, which can provide improved drug potency, selectivity or reduced susceptibility to resistance. Kuano is meeting this need through its novel, proprietary software platform for rapid, cost effective quantum modelling of enzymes. The company uses these models in combination with AI and chemistry approaches to design optimised inhibitors with improved properties for use in medicines.
Founded 2020
Employees 10+
Primary contact
Hauxton House
Mill SciTech Park, Mill Lane
CB22 5HX Cambridge
United Kingdom
Links
https://www.kuano.ai/
Diseases & Conditions
Sections
Technologies

Funding 💰

Total £1M
Select investors Ascension, Innovate UK, o2h Ventures, Wren Investments, ACF Investors

Key people 🧑‍🤝‍🧑

Highlights ⭐

  • Top advisors and partners: Kuano's advisors and partners include leading academics and providers in the fields of quantum computing, AI and machine learning and drug discovery.
  • The Kuano Quantum Lens: The company's detailed Quantum simulations reveal differences between enzymes that allow them to target each one individually without affecting other, healthy, enzymes. The subtle details revealed by the Quantum Lens provide unique profiles that are used to uncover non-intuitive drug molecules that cannot be found with other methods. 🔗
  • From simulations to drug candidates: The Kuano platform uses the key chemical features of a Transition State to define a filter for matching stable molecules (the Quantum Pharmacophore). Combining this template with Kuano's suite of AI tools, the company's "drug hunters" are able to find the right drug candidates faster. 🔗

Quotes 💬

“
Kuano is a great exemplar of the strength of deeptech in the UK. Harnessing the step change in capability delivered by quantum analysis techniques and advanced machine learning and pushing the boundary of medicinal chemistry, Kuano's platform has the potential to transform the discovery of enzyme inhibitors and create significantly more effective medicines. We are delighted to be supporting Vid and the highly experienced Kuano team on their growth journey. With a targeted range of therapeutics and a platform with enormous commercial potential, Kuano is set to make a major impact in the delivery of future therapeutics.
— Tim Mills, Managing Partner of ACF Investors 🔗
“
We are very pleased to back Kuano in this venture. Being able to more accurately understand and predict subtle changes around enzyme's active sites could unlock faster opportunities to push inhibitors for difficult drug targets through discovery and development. Vid and Dave using their knowledge of quantum physics and Parminder with her previous big pharma and biotech drug discovery experience make a great team to both develop the platform and advance the drug assets from this. I am very much looking forward to joining the board and supporting this venture.
— Sunil Shah, CEO at o2h Ventures 🔗
Last update: March 28, 2023