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Bridging Biology and Chemistry: BCL6, BMS-986458, and AI-Predicted Routes to Scalable Degraders

Bridging Biology and Chemistry: BCL6, BMS-986458, and AI-Predicted Routes to Scalable Degraders

This blog explores the role of BCL6 as a central lymphoma driver and the clinical progress of Bristol Myers Squibb’s oral degrader BMS-986458. It also discusses AI-driven retrosynthesis tools like ChemAIRS, which propose palladium-free, scalable synthetic routes to overcome key challenges in PROTAC development.

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Expanding the Therapeutic Toolbox: New Modalities for Modern Drug Hunters

Expanding the Therapeutic Toolbox: New Modalities for Modern Drug Hunters

This article reframes drug discovery around a central strategic question: not simply ‘Can we inhibit this target?’ but ‘What’s the optimal way to modulate this biology for the right patient?’ Through a case study on dabrafenib’s paradoxical MAPK activation, it shows why conventional inhibition can fail and how next-generation BRAF inhibitors and targeted protein degraders avoid those pitfalls.

It then zooms out to map the full range of modern modalities, from antibodies and RNA therapeutics to ADCs, PROTACs, molecular glues, and tri-complex inhibitors, and the frameworks that guide their selection based on biology, mechanism, and practical constraints. With examples like Revolution Medicines’ macrocyclic molecular-glue approach to RAS, the piece positions modality choice as a competitive advantage in creating the next generation of precision medicines.

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Enabling Retrosynthetic Planning for Radiotheranostics: ChemAIRS-Driven Synthesis of PSMA and NTSR1 Ligands
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Enabling Retrosynthetic Planning for Radiotheranostics: ChemAIRS-Driven Synthesis of PSMA and NTSR1 Ligands

ChemAIRS is revolutionizing radiotheranostic drug discovery by providing AI-powered retrosynthetic planning for complex radioligands. As PSMA-targeted therapies like Pluvicto™ prove transformative in prostate cancer, overcoming resistance and heterogeneity requires next-generation targets like NTSR1—and scalable synthesis to match.

By combining domain expertise with advanced retrosynthetic algorithms, ChemAIRS accelerates the design of efficient, cost-effective routes for critical precursors. This empowers researchers to rapidly innovate against PSMA-refractory disease and beyond, shortening the path to life-saving radiopharmaceuticals for advanced cancers

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ChemAIRS-Driven Route Design for Macrocyclic 3CLpro Inhibitors: Streamlining Access to Promising Anti-Coronavirus Therapeutics_EP22
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ChemAIRS-Driven Route Design for Macrocyclic 3CLpro Inhibitors: Streamlining Access to Promising Anti-Coronavirus Therapeutics_EP22

Macrocyclic inhibitors targeting the 3C-like protease hold immense promise in combating coronaviruses like SARS-CoV-2—yet their intricate synthesis poses a major hurdle. In this case study, we explore how ChemAIRS, an AI-driven retrosynthesis platform, revolutionizes the process by identifying scalable synthetic routes. Demonstrating its capabilities, ChemAIRS successfully mapped efficient pathways for two macrocyclic compounds from Vir Biotechnology’s patent. By integrating domain expertise with advanced cheminformatics, ChemAIRS accelerates route scouting, overcomes synthetic barriers, and drives innovation in drug discovery—proving itself as an indispensable tool for modern medicinal chemistry

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ChemAIRS in Action: Accelerating the Discovery and Optimization of Synthetic Routes for ALKS 2680, a Selective Orexin-2 Receptor Agonist developed by Alkermes_EP21
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ChemAIRS in Action: Accelerating the Discovery and Optimization of Synthetic Routes for ALKS 2680, a Selective Orexin-2 Receptor Agonist developed by Alkermes_EP21

Utilizing the AI-powered retrosynthetic platform ChemAIRS, multiple synthetic routes to the selective OX2R agonist ALKS 2680 were computationally generated and evaluated. The following sections summarize three distinct synthetic strategies:

  1. The published route disclosed by Alkermes

  2. A de novo discovery route enabled by ChemAIRS

  3. A scalable synthetic sequence also proposed by ChemAIRS with an emphasis on practicality and supply chain readiness

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ChemAIRS-Driven Retrosynthesis of Elironrasib (RMC-6291): A Next-Gen KRAS-G12C(ON) Inhibitor_EP20

ChemAIRS-Driven Retrosynthesis of Elironrasib (RMC-6291): A Next-Gen KRAS-G12C(ON) Inhibitor_EP20

The ChemAIRS platform successfully reconstructed a 25-step synthetic route to Revolution Medicines' groundbreaking KRAS inhibitor, elironrasib (RMC-6291). This next-generation therapeutic leverages a sanglifehrin-inspired macrocycle to form a stable tri-complex with KRAS-G12C(ON) and cyclophilin A (CypA), achieving exceptional selectivity through conformational rigidity.

Key ChemAIRS contributions:

  • Modular retrosynthesis: Deconstructed the macrocycle into two manageable fragments

  • Supply chain optimization: Identified commercially available starting materials

  • Risk mitigation: Flagged potential side reactions for synthetic planning

  • Route validation: Closely mirrored Revolution Medicines' published strategy

By combining macrocyclic drug design with AI-driven synthesis planning, ChemAIRS demonstrates how computational tools can accelerate the development of complex targeted therapies.

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ChemAIRS Optimizes the Synthesis of Novo Nordisk’s Glucose-Sensitive Derivatives_EP19
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ChemAIRS Optimizes the Synthesis of Novo Nordisk’s Glucose-Sensitive Derivatives_EP19

ChemAIRS transformed retrosynthesis planning for Novo Nordisk’s diboron-based glucose-sensitive derivatives—delivering unprecedented efficiency gains and scalable routes. By integrating microwave-assisted Ir-catalyzed C–H borylation and ultra-low Pd Miyaura couplings (B₂(neop)₂/B₂Pin₂ optimization), ChemAIRS achieved what traditional methods couldn’t: compressing a 12-day synthesis into 1 hour while reducing Pd loading 100-fold. Our retrosynthetic strategy identified optimal disconnections, minimized competing pathways, and enabled cost-effective scale-up of these critical glucose-responsive therapeutics. See how intelligent route design and catalytic innovation are redefining medicinal chemistry timelines.

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Leveraging ChemAIRS to Investigate Synthetic Strategies for Chiral Spirocyclic Isoxazolone, a Vital Building Block in a Boehringer Ingelheim Drug Development Program_EP08
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Leveraging ChemAIRS to Investigate Synthetic Strategies for Chiral Spirocyclic Isoxazolone, a Vital Building Block in a Boehringer Ingelheim Drug Development Program_EP08

ChemAIRS enabled efficient synthesis of Boehringer Ingelheim’s chiral spirocyclic isoxazolone—a versatile scaffold with anti-inflammatory to anticancer potential—by proposing multiple pathways, flexible starting materials, and scalable conditions while mitigating side reactions. Discover how AI-driven retrosynthesis accelerates heterocyclic drug development.

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Use ChemAIRS to Investigate Synthesis Strategies of OX2R Modulator, a Vertex Pharmaceuticals' Approach to Narcolepsy Treatment_EP06
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Use ChemAIRS to Investigate Synthesis Strategies of OX2R Modulator, a Vertex Pharmaceuticals' Approach to Narcolepsy Treatment_EP06

ChemAIRS analyzed Vertex's OX2R-targeting macrocyclic amines (like compound 29), proposing API synthesis routes that match published methods while suggesting novel alternatives. This AI-driven flexibility accelerates CNS drug discovery by empowering chemists to explore optimized pathways for high-affinity, brain-penetrant therapeutics.

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Exploring the Synthesis of Janssen's RSV-F Inhibitor Using ChemAIRS_EP03
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Exploring the Synthesis of Janssen's RSV-F Inhibitor Using ChemAIRS_EP03

ChemAIRS, our AI-driven retrosynthesis platform, predicted Janssen’s synthetic route for a potent RSV fusion inhibitor—targeting a virus that hospitalizes vulnerable populations—and proposed a cost-effective alternative. This demonstrates ChemAIRS’ ability to generate optimized, customizable pathways for efficient drug synthesis.

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