Protein Design Is a Revolution in Drug Development

If you are curious about one of the most exciting fields in life science today, you should attend the next edition of Life Science Talks hosted by Pharmadanmark.

This time, the theme is protein design, which – according to the event’s facilitators Jan Ardenkjær-Larsen and Kristian Strømgaard – is one of the most important and fascinating topics right now when it comes to drug development.

“There is an incredible amount happening in this field at the moment,” says Kristian Strømgaard.

“Last year, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to the American researcher David Baker for his pioneering work in protein design. Here in Denmark, we have just opened a new Center for Protein Design at the University of Copenhagen, supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation with DKK 700 million. The timing to dive into this topic could not be better.”

Kristian Strømgaard is a professor at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, and deputy director for innovation at the new Center for Protein Design.

What Is Protein Design?

At its core, protein design is about developing entirely new, artificial proteins. These proteins can be custom-made and used to design drugs that are even more potent than those we have been able to create so far.

“With protein design, we can develop medicines that fit precisely to a specific cancer cell or antibody. In short, we can make the key that perfectly matches the lock,” explains Jan Ardenkjær-Larsen, Head of the Department of Health Technology at DTU and professor of medical imaging.

“With protein design, we can develop medicines that fit precisely to a specific cancer cell or antibody."

Until now, researchers had to go through countless laboratory iterations to develop the desired proteins. But today, the process can be done on a computer – designing and creating the exact protein needed.
“It’s nothing short of a revolution,” adds Kristian Strømgaard.

Why Now? Technology Is Ready

So why is this revolution happening right now? According to Jan Ardenkjær-Larsen, several factors play a role. But one main reason is that today’s powerful computers provide the computational capacity needed to develop and train algorithms for creating artificial proteins.

“Artificial intelligence itself isn’t new – we were already working with it when we were young. But back then, it wasn’t practically useful. Today it is,” he says.

“You might call it a quantum leap, but it’s more than just evolution. Several things have come together at this point in time, and we’ve reached a stage where what used to be impossible suddenly becomes possible.”

All Eyes on Protein Design

According to the facilitators, there is no doubt that every pharmaceutical company working with protein- and peptide-based drugs is currently investing heavily in protein design.

“No one wants to miss out on this agenda,” says Kristian Strømgaard.

“If you look at last year’s best-selling medicines, I believe 15 out of the top 20 were based on proteins or peptides. This makes protein design an incredibly important field for drug development.”

"Protein design is an incredibly important field for drug development.”

Traditionally, it takes 10–12 years to develop and bring a new drug to market. With protein design, the timeline could be shortened significantly.

Jan Ardenkjær-Larsen does not wish to predict exactly how much time might be saved, but he is convinced that protein design will become a major factor in accelerating the process.

“But it’s not just about speeding things up. By designing proteins, we can build in features that have huge effects – for instance, making drugs more potent or reducing side effects.”

Meet Leading Experts and Gain New Insights

At Life Science Talks, the spotlight will be on the many benefits of protein design, its wide-ranging applications – including those beyond the pharmaceutical industry – and the challenges that still remain.

The event will provide a comprehensive introduction to the field, with presentations by some of the top experts.

Speakers include:

• Professor Dek Woolfson, Head of the new Center for Protein Design at the University of Copenhagen, who will share his experiences and visions for making the center one of the world’s leading hubs.
• Associate Professor Timothy Patrick Jenkins, DTU, who will present on how the combination of data, AI, and biotechnology can accelerate the development of new treatments.
• Ida Hilden and Jacob Lund from Novo Nordisk, who will present insights from the MIM8 program, including results from studies of a promising new treatment for patients with hemophilia.

“The speakers are truly at the top of their field and excellent communicators. Even if you don’t have prior knowledge of the subject, you’ll be both entertained and enlightened,” promises Kristian Strømgaard.

Life Science Talks takes place twice a year, always addressing forward-looking themes.

“What trends do we see? And what will drive Denmark’s life science sector in 10, 20, or 30 years if we want to remain a leading life science nation? These are some of the key questions we explore at Life Science Talks,” concludes Jan Ardenkjær-Larsen.