SEATTLE and RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA — Monod Bio, a Seattle-based AI-enabled protein design company, and SignalChem Biotech Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sino Biological, Inc. (SZSE: 301047), have announced a non-exclusive licensing agreement covering Monod Bio's proprietary LuxSit de novo luciferase technology and NovoBodies. The deal allows SignalChem Biotech to incorporate these AI-designed proteins into custom luminescent assay development and protein-fusion services offered to third-party customers for research use.
This collaboration expands SignalChem's specialized contract research organization (CRO) capabilities and supports Sino Biological's broader strategy of integrating AI-enabled technologies across its global life science tools and services portfolio. By leveraging Monod Bio's AI-designed proteins, SignalChem aims to help researchers obtain high-quality discovery candidates more rapidly, addressing complex biological questions and advancing research programs more efficiently.
Monod Bio's LuxSit is an AI-designed luciferase engineered for use in robust luminescent biosensors, while its NovoBodies are compact, highly stable binding proteins engineered for high-performance recognition of various targets. Together, these technologies provide versatile tools for developing customized assays and discovery workflows, potentially accelerating drug discovery and life science research.
“By incorporating Monod Bio's AI-designed protein technologies into SignalChem's custom assay platform, we can help researchers obtain high quality discovery candidates more rapidly,” said Dr. Rob Burgess, Chief Business Officer of Sino Biological. “This agreement and the corresponding licensed technology strengthen our ability to help customers address complex biological questions and advance their research programs more efficiently.”
Daniel Silva Manzano, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Monod Bio, added, “SignalChem Biotech and Sino Biological have the scientific expertise, customer reach and service infrastructure to bring these technologies to a broad customer base. This partnership expands the reach of our platform and reinforces the value of our Monod Inside model for integrating AI-designed proteins into commercial products and services.”
The licensing agreement is non-exclusive, allowing Monod Bio to partner with other companies, potentially increasing the adoption of AI-designed proteins in the life science industry. For Sino Biological, this move aligns with its strategy to incorporate AI-enabled technologies into its portfolio, positioning it to offer more advanced tools to researchers globally.
The company noted that given its broad product portfolio, the revenue associated with this business is not expected to have a material impact on its overall financial performance. However, the partnership signals a growing trend of integrating AI-designed proteins into commercial research services, which could lead to faster and more efficient drug discovery processes.
Researchers and companies in the life science sector may benefit from these enhanced custom assay services, potentially reducing the time and cost associated with developing new diagnostics and therapeutics. The collaboration underscores the importance of AI in protein design, offering new possibilities for tackling complex biological questions.
For more information about Sino Biological and SignalChem Biotech, visit www.sinobiological.com. For details on Monod Bio and its technologies, visit monod.bio.
