Rakovina Therapeutics and Variational AI: Strengthening Partnership for Next-Generation Cancer Therapies

Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (TSX-V: RKV) and Variational AI have announced a strategic collaboration to leverage their respective expertise in drug discovery and artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and develop novel small-molecule therapies targeting DNA-damage response (DDR) kinase targets for cancer treatment. This partnership aims to accelerate drug discovery timelines and enhance the precision of drug candidate selection, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and expanded therapeutic possibilities.

Under the terms of the agreement, Rakovina Therapeutics has been granted exclusive rights to compounds generated by Variational AI's Enki™ platform against selected target product profiles (TPPs) and an option to license validated drug candidates for further development. Variational AI will employ the Enki™ platform to identify novel inhibitors of specific DDR kinase targets selected by Rakovina Therapeutics, which will subsequently be evaluated at its University of British Columbia lab.

Rakovina Therapeutics' Executive Chairman, Jeffrey Bacha, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating that it expands the company's pipeline beyond its current focus on next-generation PARP inhibitors and leverages Variational AI's expertise in kinases, where it overlaps with Rakovina's interest in DDR targets. This partnership is expected to significantly increase partnering opportunities with 'big pharma,' which maintains a close interest in novel therapies against these targets.

Variational AI's CEO, Handol Kim, also expressed excitement about the partnership, highlighting the potential of the Enki™ platform as an ideal drug discovery solution for Rakovina Therapeutics. The Enki™ platform is the first commercially accessible foundation model for small molecules, enabling biopharmaceutical companies to discover novel, potent, safe, and synthesizable lead compounds for a small fraction of the time and cost versus traditional chemistry approaches.



Rakovina Therapeutics anticipates determining the validity of these novel drug candidates against its target-product profile within 12 to 18 months upon receipt of each Variational AI deliverable. The Enki™ AI platform, already used by leading pharmaceutical companies, brings a powerful addition to Rakovina Therapeutics' AI-driven drug discovery toolkit, enabling the company to expand its research focus to additional DDR targets.



In conclusion, the collaboration between Rakovina Therapeutics and Variational AI represents a significant step forward in the development of next-generation cancer therapies. By leveraging AI-driven drug discovery and targeting specific DDR kinase targets, the partnership aims to accelerate drug discovery timelines, improve patient outcomes, and expand therapeutic possibilities. As the collaboration progresses, investors should monitor the development of novel drug candidates and the potential market opportunities that may arise from this strategic alliance.