Cyclica has received a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to apply its AI-enabled drug discovery platform to new therapeutic options for multiple low-data biological targets.
The end goal is to expand the range of accessible non-hormonal contraceptive choices for women in developing countries.
The CAD$2.4M ($1.8M) grant enables Cyclica to focus on the discovery of expanded contraceptive options that can give women and girls the ability to better plan their families and their futures.
Naheed Kurji, CEO of Cyclica, said: “Among women who want to delay or avoid pregnancy, concerns about side effects are the most common reason they give for not using modern contraception. We are honoured to have received support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to work towards discovering new, hormone-free contraceptives that will expand the range of contraceptive options available to women and girls.”
To date, research on discovering non-hormonal contraceptive agents has been hindered by a dearth of validated and enabled drug targets.
“Cyclica has a track record of success in the low-data target area for unmet clinical needs. We have the experience needed to tackle this currently undrugged, high-need opportunity, and progress it to the clinic on a faster and less costly trajectory than that offered by traditional methods,” added Mike Palovich, Chief Science Officer of Cyclica.
