Alumni-founded and Santa Cruz-based biotech firm Unnatural Products (UNP) announced today that it is partnering with global immunology company argenx, a move that holds potential for life-saving discovery and application.
Founded by UC Santa Cruz alumni Cameron Pye (Ph.D. ’17, chemistry & biochemistry) and Joshua Schwochert (Ph.D. ’17, chemistry & biochemistry), UNP develops drugs that use a unique type of molecule called a macrocycle. Macrocyclic peptides can bind to challenging protein targets sometimes called “undruggable” and can provide an oral pill form of what currently is only addressable with injectable options. This has broad-ranging applications in diseases like metabolic dysfunction, inflammation and auto-immune, and hard to treat cancers with limited current therapeutic options.
“We’re in the business of sneaking larger-than-usual molecules across biological barriers,” Pye explained in a story published by UC Santa Cruz in January. Schwochert added, “Traditional approaches have failed in this space. Our work involves understanding why nature designed certain molecular features and then remixing those lessons to create synthetic molecules tailored to address human diseases.”
The collaboration between UNP and argenx will utilize UNP’s proprietary drug discovery platform to generate potent, selective, and orally available macrocyclic peptides against multiple targets of interest identified by argenx. Under the partnership agreement, UNP will conduct research and development through preclinical studies, and argenx will have the exclusive option to develop and commercialize products against these targets across multiple indications. UNP will receive upfront, near-term payments and R&D funding. UNP is also eligible to receive up to approximately $1.5 billion in potential research, development, regulatory, and commercial milestones and option payments, as well as tiered royalties on net sales. Additionally, argenx will make an equity investment in UNP.
Macrocyclic peptides represent a new frontier in drug development, offering the precision of biologics with the convenience of small-molecule oral dosing and the ability to reach previously inaccessible intracellular targets.
“Macrocyclic peptides are opening up a new modality, one that merges the best attributes of biologics and small molecules to drug targets that were once considered out of reach,” said Pye. “argenx has built a world-class engine for immunology innovation, and we’re thrilled to partner with them to advance novel macrocyclic peptide therapeutics for patients with immune disorders.”
UNP’s platform combines AI-guided compound design, massively parallel synthesis, and direct-to-biology screening, enabling the rapid generation of drug-like macrocycles that bind challenging targets with antibody-like specificity. UNP is building a pipeline of oral medicines for oncology, immunology, and rare diseases.
“This partnership represents the translational impact we strive for at UC Santa Cruz, taking fundamental discoveries from our laboratories toward solutions that can transform lives,” said John MacMillan, UC Santa Cruz Vice Chancellor for Research. “The work UNP will undertake with argenx exemplifies the powerful arc from basic scientific inquiry to potentially life-changing, life-saving drug treatments.”
UNP’s potential impact on medicine is immense. Its technology opens up treatment possibilities for diseases in areas like oncology, cardiometabolic disorders, and autoimmune conditions.
MacMillan added, “This collaboration shows how university research can make a difference far beyond the campus, highlighting the incredible impact it can have in the real world. Like many UC Santa Cruz alumni, Cameron and Joshua are impacting the world.”
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