In Seattle, the Xaira Therapeutics team is working on building the biotech company of the future. With a focus on AI, the team has received over $1 billion in funding from investors and is based in a laboratory near Lake Union. The team consists of researchers from the Institute for Protein Design (IPD) at the University of Washington, including Nathaniel Bennett, Justas Dauparas, Buwei Huang, and Philip Leung. Xaira aims to develop new therapeutics based on proteins and other molecules by integrating molecular design with other AI-based approaches across the drug development pipeline.
Xaira’s founding members, including Hetu Kamisetty, have backgrounds in AI and protein design. Kamisetty was previously a scientist for Facebook’s generative AI team and was previously a senior fellow in the lab of David Baker, who now heads the IPD. The IPD has been at the center of the booming field of protein design, with successful spinouts like PvP Biologics and Icosavax. Baker has also co-founded 21 companies, including Xaira. The IPD’s deep learning tools have transformed the field and set the stage for generative models like ProteinMPNN and RFDiffusion.
Xaira’s focus on molecular design goes beyond nature’s templates to create therapeutic proteins that surpass nature’s designs. The aim is to target “undruggable” targets that traditional antibodies might not be able to reach. The technology developed by the IPD has shown promise in generating new designs not found in nature, including antibodies and miniproteins that interact with human biomarkers. The company has attracted venture capitalists like Arch Venture Partners and Foresite Capital, and is incubated by both firms. Xaira’s goal is to conquer these difficult targets using innovative technology developed by the IPD.
Most of Xaira’s team works from its headquarters in the Bay Area, with a smaller team in Seattle. The Seattle team, led by Kamisetty, is focused on protein design and laboratory research. The Seattle lab is equipped with high-throughput machines for synthesizing and testing protein designs. The goal is to accelerate the feedback loop from experimental data back to the protein models, enabling rapid iteration and refinement. Promising candidates from Seattle are sent to the Bay Area labs for further testing and preparation for clinical trials. The company’s approach is inspired by the IPD’s integration of computational and laboratory teams.
Xaira’s competition includes startups like Insitro and Generate:Biomedicines, as well as big pharma companies investing in AI capabilities. The landscape of biotech is shifting towards digitally-native companies that leverage AI for drug discovery. Kamisetty believes that successful biotech companies in the future will need to embrace AI as the standard for drug discovery. Xaira is positioned to be a leader in this field, leveraging the expertise of the IPD and its innovative approach to molecular design. The company’s goal is to revolutionize the way drug discovery is done using AI and data-driven models.
