RE: Chairman's May Newsletter out28 May 2026 09:53
Against this backdrop and the strong scientific and commercial interest in the role of JAK inhibitors in neuroinflammatory diseases, our own collaboration with Receptor.AI is well-positioned. Announced in August 2025, the partnership is focused on accelerating the discovery and optimisation of blood-brain barrier (BBB)-permeable, isoform-selective TYK2/JAK1 inhibitors for neuroinflammatory indications, including multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. The collaboration builds directly on our own preclinical work, where our proprietary Sareum Kinase Inhibitor Library platform identified three TYK2/JAK1 compounds with meaningful BBB penetration which is essential for CNS drug development. Receptor.AI brings to this work a tailored in silico programme, applying virtual screening, generative chemistry, and predictive modelling to identify targets with strong target binding, brain penetration, selectivity, and synthetic feasibility.
Progress within the collaboration has been steady. Following the initiation of lead optimisation work with Receptor.AI in August 2025, the initial rounds of AI-guided design, synthesis and in vitro assay have been completed with further assay work in progress. Sareum retains full ownership of all intellectual property and compounds arising from the collaboration, with no ongoing milestone payments due to Receptor.AI following conclusion of the project.
Beyond the neuroscience programme, our priorities across the portfolio remain unchanged. The Phase 2-enabling toxicology work for SDC-1801 continues to progress, and we are advancing business development discussions around our pipeline of assets.
As the industry’s experience with AI drug discovery deepens I am increasingly confident that our approach represents both sound science and sound strategy. Combining our deep TYK2 chemistry knowledge and clinical-stage expertise with Receptor.AI’s generative and predictive capabilities gives us access to tools that will help streamline the often-lengthy drug discovery and development process.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support and engagement.
Dr Stephen Parker,
Executive Chairman,
Sareum Holdings plc