Macrocycles, an alternative molecular diversity space
Polyphor has established two complementary innovative, proprietary technology platforms with the aim to discover and develop new medicines for unmet medical needs.
Traditional small molecule drugs address only a fraction of the therapeutically relevant targets, and it is believed that many of the new targets involve large surface Protein-Protein Interactions (PPI). Polyphor’s MacroFinder® and PEMfinder® platforms were specifically developed for discovering potent and selective modulators of PPI and other challenging targets.
Both MacroFinder® and PEMfinder® molecules are fully synthetic, macrocyclic molecules with MW’s between 400 to 2'000 and thus cover an alternative molecular diversity space with respect to traditional small molecules and biologics.
MacroFinder® and PEMfinder® molecules were both designed to modulate complex PPI targets, however, the two technologies generate molecules with complementary properties. PEMfinder® addresses mainly extracellular large surface PPI-targets, whereas MacroFinder® molecules are designed to penetrate into the cells to hit intracellular PPIs and with the potential for oral delivery. 


