RE: Food for thought12 May 2026 17:21
Isomorphic Labs is utilizing its AI-driven drug design engine, which builds on AlphaFold 3, to advance a pipeline that includes targets in the TYK2/JAK1 signaling pathway. The company, founded by Demis Hassabis and spun out of Google DeepMind, focuses on designing small molecules to modulate these proteins for immune-mediated diseases.Key Aspects of Isomorphic Labs' Approach to TYK2/JAK1:AI-Driven Discovery: Isomorphic Labs uses "digital biology" to predict the structure of protein-ligand complexes, exceeding the capabilities of AlphaFold 3 to identify new binding pockets on target proteins.Targeting JAK/STAT Pathway: The company's models are applied to challenging targets, such as TYK2, specifically focusing on allosteric inhibition (binding to the regulatory JH2 domain rather than the ATP active site) to improve selectivity and reduce side effects.Partnerships: As of early 2026, Isomorphic Labs has entered into major research collaborations with pharmaceutical companies like Johnson & Johnson to accelerate drug discovery across various targets, potentially including JAK/TYK2 pathways.Context in Industry: Dual inhibition of TYK2 and JAK1 is known to be more effective than single inhibition for diseases like psoriasis. While other companies have developed inhibitors like deucravacitinib (TYK2) and brepocitinib (TYK2/JAK1), Isomorphic Labs aims to create superior molecules using AI.Note: While Isomorphic Labs develops its own pipeline, specific, publicly named small-molecule candidates from them for TYK2/JAK1 are often part of confidential partner programs, though their AI capabilities are actively aimed at this area.