BASF and leadXpro Announce Research Collaboration

VILLIGEN, Switzerland, December 8, 2017 (Newswire.com) - BASF and leadXpro AG, a leading 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.

... the collaboration with leadXpro will expedite our compound design programs by helping our synthetic chemists to create new active ingredients with enhanced properties faster.

Harald Rang, Senior Vice President Global Research and Development Crop Protection, BASF

“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.

BASF Media Contact:
Jasmin Tortop
Tel.: + 49 621 60 28412
[email protected]

leadXpro AG Media Contact:
Prof. Dr. Michael Hennig
Tel.: + 41 79 770 97 24
​[email protected]

About BASF’s Crop Protection division

With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. BASF’s Crop Protection division works with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others to help make this possible. With their cooperation, BASF is able to sustain an active R&D pipeline, an innovative portfolio of products and services, and teams of experts in the lab and in the field to support customers in making their businesses succeed. In 2016, BASF’s Crop Protection division generated sales of €5.6 billion. For more information, please visit us at www.agriculture.basf.com or on any of our social media channels.

About leadXpro AG

leadXpro is a lead discovery company focusing on membrane protein drug targets. We are committed to the application of biophysical and structure-based methods for the discovery and optimization of next- generation lead compounds. leadXpro’s technology platform enables structural determination of membrane proteins where classical crystallographic techniques fail, unlocking structure-based drug discovery for challenging targets. We capitalize on the knowledge regarding membrane protein structural biology and facilities of the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) with premium access to the synchrotron Swiss Light Source (SLS) and the Free Electron Laser (SwissFEL). Core expertise beyond X-ray includes single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) using the research facilities of the University of Basel. For more information, please visit www.leadxpro.com. leadXpro is a registered trademark in the EU, Switzerland, U.S. and Canada.

Source: leadXpro AG