Strategic Funding Led by Nimbus Synergies, Backed by Merck GHI, to Accelerate AI-Powered Collaborations
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (TSX-V: RKV) (FSE: 7JO), a biopharmaceutical company advancing cancer therapies based on DNA-damage response technologies, proudly reaffirms its strategic partnership with Variational AI. This announcement comes on the heels of Variational AI’s impressive $5.5 million oversubscribed financing round, led by Nimbus Synergies with participation from Flying Fish Ventures, Merck Global Health Innovation Fund, A&E Investments, Defined Capital, and Threshold Impact - fueling the next wave of AI-powered breakthroughs in oncology.
The financing strengthens Variational AI’s ability to enhance its Enki™ foundation model for small-molecule drug discovery, a platform integral to Rakovina Therapeutics’ AI-driven approach to developing next-generation cancer therapies.
Harnessing the Power of AI to Accelerate Cancer Drug Development
Since announcing their partnership in September 2024, Rakovina Therapeutics and Variational AI have been working together to leverage AI-powered generative models to accelerate the discovery of novel kinase inhibitors targeting DNA-damage response (DDR) pathways. Early 2025 marked a key achievement: the identification of a shortlist of ATR inhibitors, a promising target known for its role in regulating cancer cell survival. By selectively blocking ATR, these inhibitors have the potential to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. The first set of preclinical results is expected in Q2 2025.
“The success of Variational AI’s financing underscores the growing recognition of AI’s transformative potential in drug discovery,” said Jeffrey Bacha, Executive Chairman of Rakovina Therapeutics. “With the strength of the Enki™ foundational model, we are well-positioned to integrate the latest advancements in generative AI to accelerate the development of precision oncology treatments.”
Expanding the Frontiers of AI-Powered Drug Discovery
Variational AI’s Enki™ platform is at the forefront of AI-driven drug discovery, generating and optimizing novel molecular structures that meet the specific biological and chemical properties required for effective therapeutics.
“This partnership exemplifies how AI can be used to reshape the early-stage drug discovery process,” said Handol Kim, CEO of Variational AI. “With the additional resources from our latest financing, we are poised to enhance Enki’s™ capabilities and deepen our collaboration with Rakovina to bring forward innovative cancer therapies.”
Looking Ahead: A Bold Vision for the Future
Rakovina Therapeutics is set to expand its AI-driven discovery efforts, explore additional DDR targets, and advance promising candidates toward preclinical development. The collaboration with Variational AI marks a pivotal step in the fight against cancer, harnessing the power of AI to bring smarter, faster, and more effective treatments to patients in need.
About Variational AI
Variational AI has developed Enki™, the first commercially available foundation model for small-molecule drug discovery. By leveraging generative AI, Variational AI enables biopharmaceutical companies to rapidly discover and optimize novel, potent, safe, and synthesizable lead compounds at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional approaches.
For more information, visit www.variational.ai.
About Rakovina Therapeutics Inc.
Rakovina Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical research company focused on the development of innovative cancer treatments. Our work is based on unique technologies for targeting the DNA-damage response powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) using the proprietary Deep-Docking™ platform. By using AI, we can review and optimize drug candidates at a much greater pace than ever before.
The Company has established a pipeline of distinctive DNA-damage response inhibitors with the goal of advancing one or more drug candidates into human clinical trials in collaboration with pharmaceutical partners.
Further information may be found at www.rakovinatherapeutics.com.
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For Further Information Contact:
Michelle Seltenrich, BSc MBA
Director, Corporate Development
IR@rakovinatherapeutics.com
778-773-5432
