A single round of AI-generated de novo peptides against the CDC20 D-box degron interface more than doubled Apcin’s cell-death response in HeLa cells. Cell death measured by FACS.
% cell death · FACS · N=3
CDC20 is an oncology target. Its function is controlled through the D-box, a small, groovy protein-protein interface. Small molecules bind it with medium affinity but are too small to block with efficacy natural peptide motifs from binding. Apcin, the reference inhibitor, shows weak activity even at high doses.
ProxAI designed with it's de novo platform 9-amino-acid peptides to bind the CDC20 D-box. Candidates were scored computationally and went straight into a cellular assay. One round of design. No iteration.
The lead peptide, PRX-01, induced 56% cell death in HeLa cells, a 9.3x increase over the 6% negative control and more than double Apcin's response at matched doses. It matched Apcin's cell-death effect at a 2.7x lower concentration.
Readout: percent cell death by flow cytometry (FACS) in HeLa cells, N=3. Fold-changes computed from this readout: 9.3× is PRX-01 (56%) over the negative control (6%); potency comparison reflects the concentration required to reach a comparable cell-death effect versus Apcin. Results are from a single, unoptimized design round and represent a proof of concept, not a validated therapeutic. Absolute values depend on assay conditions and dose. Claims on this page reflect internal data and are subject to scientific review.
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Book a meeting82% suppression of a downstream inflammatory-pathway effector.
