Protai has developed a proteomics AI platform that maps the course of disease at the protein level to leverage protein-level data for drug discovery. The company focuses on proteomic response biomarkers and AI to unlock new biological insights and accelerate candidate creation and validation. Protai has opened laboratories at its Israel R&D center for data acquisition, biological validation, and drug discovery, and has recruited an experienced drug discovery team. It has established collaborations with several leading hospitals and has access to over 100k well-defined banked samples for comprehensive tumor mapping focused on gyno-oncology and lung cancer. The company raised an additional $12 million in its seed round (bringing the total to $20 million) and plans to use the funds to build its oncology drug discovery pipeline, expand data acquisition, and increase discovery activities via pharma partnerships. Protai is led by CEO and co-founder Eran Seger and co-founder Kirill Pevzner and is supported by leading oncology experts including Prof. Giulio Draetta, Prof. Bradley J. Monk, Prof. Funda Meric-Bernstam and Dr. Jurgen Moll. Protai builds proteomics-based data and software tools to accelerate drug discovery by mapping proteins and their interactions. The company assembled what it claims is the largest proteomic database—about 50,000 samples aggregated from 6,000 papers—and harmonized heterogeneous data using natural language AI. It integrates structural proteomics tools such as AlphaFold and RoseTTAfold to improve prediction of protein–protein and drug–target interactions. Protai says its improvements in biological explainability yield better drug targets and candidates; in a lung cancer proof of concept it pinpointed several high-value targets it is pursuing in an independent drug program. The company aims to span the drug discovery and testing process from tissue testing through to clinical testing. Protai raised an $8 million seed round to develop its platform and build partnerships and other programs.

Total raised

$20M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Mar 2023