AgroPages-BASF and leadXpro announce research collaboration-Agricultural news

BASF and leadXpro AG, a discovery company focusing on membrane protein drug targets, will join forces to collaborate on the structure-based discovery of new active ingredients by employing single particle cryo-electron microscopy.

The collaboration brings together BASF’s long tradition and strong expertise in the discovery and development of new chemical compounds with leadXpro’s proven knowledge in application of biophysical methods enabling structure-based design. leadXpro will apply single particle cryo-electron microscopy to support the discovery and optimization of lead compounds that modulate challenging membrane protein targets. Cryo-electron microscopy recently gained prominent attention when researchers pioneering this technology were awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. This prestigious recognition underscores the tremendous value that cryo-electron microscopy represents for the field of structural biology.

“Research supported by cryo-electron microscopy is currently undergoing a ‘resolution revolution’, enabling visualization of viruses and membrane proteins at unprecedented detail”, explains Michael Hennig, CEO at leadXpro. “As a result, single particle cryo-electron microscopy is becoming an indispensable tool to rapidly advance the understanding of target proteins’ structural features. Combined with leadXpro’s expertise in structural characterization of membrane proteins our collaboration enables BASF to establish a structure-based discovery platform.”

“The collaboration agreement with leadXpro reflects the importance and value BASF places in developing strong research partnerships to discover new sustainable solutions for the challenges that farmers are facing globally. We are convinced that the collaboration with leadXpro will expedite our compound design programs by helping our synthetic chemists to create new active ingredients with enhanced properties faster”, says Harald Rang, Senior Vice President Global Research and Development Crop Protection, BASF.

Financial details of the collaboration were not disclosed.