London-headquartered artificial intelligence company Kuano has raised ￡1m in seed funding to accelerate the development of its platform, focused on transforming the discovery of therapeutics targeting enzyme inhibition.

As part of its approach, Kuano combines quantum physics, artificial intelligence (AI) and medicinal chemistry for the discovery of enzyme inhibitors.

The company software platform creates rapid, ‘cost effective’ quantum modelling of enzymes, which are used in combination with chemistry approaches to design optimised inhibitors with improved properties for use in medicines.

Kuano is utilising this platform to advance not only its own pipeline of novel therapeutics, but also in collaborative programme with academic partners including Alzheimer’s Research UK University College London Drug Discovery Institute.

“With this investment, our investors have affirmed the strength of our technology and its commercial potential. Building upon years of research, this funding will drive the development of our platform, facilitate the rollout of our own range of therapeutics and expand our team,” said Vid Stojevic, co-founder and chief executive officer of Kuano.

“As our recent collaboration with the UCL Drug Discovery Institute has shown, we are beginning to have a potent effect on the pharmaceutical industry and I am looking forward to the many ways in which we can make a decisive contribution to medicine worldwide,” he added.