Sprint Bioscience, in collaboration with MAX IV, has been awarded approximately 940,000 kronor in funding from Vinnova for a joint research project on alternative methods for fragment screening, with the aim of improving future drug development programs. The project combines Sprint Bioscience’s expertise in fragment-based drug discovery with MAX IV’s world-leading research infrastructure.

”The fact that Vinnova is providing funding for this project in collaboration with MAX IV is a clear recognition of the expertise and research that Sprint Bioscience has built up in the field of fragment-based drug development. This collaboration gives us the opportunity to explore new methods that can strengthen future drug development projects while contributing to the development of Swedish research infrastructure,” says Johan Emilsson, CEO of Sprint Bioscience.

As part of the project, the partners will study how temperature affects the binding between small-molecule fragments—which serve as the starting points for Sprint Bioscience’s drug development programs—and potential target proteins. The work includes comparisons between fragment screening conducted under both cryogenic conditions and at room temperature. The goal is to evaluate whether room-temperature studies can provide additional biologically relevant information and thereby strengthen future drug development programs. At the same time, the collaboration contributes to the further development of MAX IV’s capacity to offer room-temperature data collection for industrial users.

The full press release can be found here.
Learn more about MAXIV here.