Bachem and Atheris Collaborate on Melusine® Venom Peptide Libraries for Lead Discovery

Bachem has announced that the company concluded an agreement with Atheris Laboratories to market their Melusine® libraries, consisting of natural products isolated from animal venoms. The agreement includes services to assist customers with the identification of the active ingredients and to synthesize individual compounds.

These libraries, isolated from venomous animals, have been fractionated to provide well-defined mixtures. The main components are peptide toxins, a class of interest for the development of peptide based therapeutics and cosmetics. Atheris and Bachem intend to encourage the screening of these compounds to expand and support their applications as drugs.

Deconvolution and structural elucidation of hits and lead selection/optimization can be performed at Atheris. Following identification of a hit from screening, Bachem is in the position to offer custom syntheses for lead compounds and to provide support for clinical development of drug candidates.

Dr. Lester Mills, CMO of Bachem, comments: “Melusine® collections represent innovative products and will encourage the development of peptide therapeutics in this class to further strengthen Bachem’s worldwide leadership in peptide manufacturing.”

“We are particularly proud and enthusiastic regarding this partnership with Bachem” adds Dr. Reto Stocklin, President & CEO of Atheris, who continues: “Not only our visibility and the credibility of our activities is increased, but in addition, this collaboration will also promote the development of new innovative venom-derived drugs.”