Pepticom

Pepticom operates at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biotechnology, focusing on the discovery of novel peptide-based drug candidates. Founded in 2011 by a team including CEO Immanuel Lerner, CTO Amit Michaeli, and Professor Anwar Rayan, the company originated from research conducted at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dr. Lerner brings a 15-year academic background in biochemistry from the Hebrew University, while Dr. Michaeli developed the company's core technology during his Ph.D. research, specializing in peptide design and optimization algorithms. The firm's business model centers on leveraging its proprietary computational platform to significantly accelerate the drug discovery process, reducing timelines and costs compared to traditional laboratory methods.

Pepticom's core offering is an AI-driven platform that designs and optimizes peptide candidates. This technology combines machine learning, reinforcement learning, and advanced biochemistry to navigate a vast chemical space, exploring over 10⁸⁰ potential peptide structures. By utilizing a library of more than 600 natural and non-natural amino acids, the platform can design various peptide chemistries, including linear, cyclic, and helical forms, with enhanced specificity, stability, and therapeutic potential. This allows the company to address complex biological targets that may be inaccessible through conventional methods and to de-risk development by filtering out non-viable molecules at an early stage. The company generates revenue through collaborations and discovery deals with large multinational pharmaceutical and agricultural companies, such as ADAMA.

The company is actively developing its own in-house pipeline, with a leading program focused on creating novel oral IL-17 inhibitors for treating autoimmune diseases like psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. This program aims to deliver what could be the first AI-designed therapeutic peptide for psoriasis. Pepticom has secured significant funding to advance its research, including a $5 million Series A round in 2019 and a $6.6 million Series A1 round in January 2025, led by Japan Israel High Tech Ventures 2 LP. These investments are intended to accelerate the development of its AI models and its therapeutic programs.

Keywords: peptide discovery, AI drug discovery, computational biochemistry, therapeutic peptides, drug development, autoimmune disease treatment, IL-17 inhibitors, psoriasis treatment, reinforcement learning in pharma, peptidomimetics, biocomputational software, molecular mechanics, agricultural peptides, animal health, pharmaceutical partnerships, de novo drug design, targeted therapies, non-natural amino acids, drug discovery platform, biotechnology