EMD Serono has acquired two fertility programmes from PostEra that were developed using the biotechnology company’s artificial intelligence platform, Proton.
The acquired programmes target the Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Receptor, or FSHR, and the Luteinizing Hormone/Choriogonadotropin Receptor, or LHCGR.
PostEra has spent the past two years using Proton to develop novel small-molecule treatments in women’s health and fertility, areas that remain heavily dependent on injectable therapies.
The FSHR programme is focused on novel small-molecule agonists for ovarian stimulation in in vitro fertilisation.
In parallel, PostEra developed small-molecule LHCGR agonists for male infertility and ovulation trigger in IVF.
In preclinical studies, the LHCGR agonist has shown potential as an oral alternative to injectable hCG regimens used in selected male infertility patients.
PostEra also said that combining the FSHR and LHCGR agonists could potentially support an all-oral IVF regimen, replacing some of the injections currently required during treatment.
EMD Serono has acquired both programmes and will assume sole responsibility for their continued development and potential commercialisation worldwide.
Both programmes remain in preclinical development, and their safety and efficacy in humans have not yet been established.
PostEra said the transaction validates both the opportunity in reproductive endocrinology and the ability of its Proton platform to generate high-quality small-molecule candidates against challenging targets.
FSHR and LHCGR have long been clinically validated through biologic therapies, but developing orally bioavailable small molecules against the same targets has remained difficult.
“Our AI benchmark at PostEra has always been high quality chemical matter,” said Aaron Morris, Chief Executive Officer of PostEra.
“We judge ourselves not simply on whether we can beat a metric, or top a leaderboard, but can we actually develop promising novel therapies that have the potential to help human health.”
PostEra Chief Scientific Officer Dr Lee added that the programmes demonstrate how the Proton platform can be applied to challenging medicinal chemistry problems and potentially unlock new approaches in fertility treatment.
The acquisition also reflects growing interest in using AI not simply to identify targets, but to design and optimise drug candidates that can progress into conventional pharmaceutical development.
For fertility care, the longer-term opportunity lies in whether these programmes can reduce dependence on injectable regimens and offer more convenient treatment options for patients undergoing IVF and other reproductive therapies.
