Gandeeva and Zymeworks Use Cryo-EM to Accelerate Antibody Drug Discovery

Vancouver-based biotech companies Gandeeva Therapeutics and Zymeworks have partnered to generate cryo-EM–based structural data to augment antibody drug discovery.

VANCOUVER, BC,June 18, 2026/PRNewswire/ - Gandeeva Therapeutics, Inc., a biotech at the forefront of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM)–driven drug design, and Zymeworks Inc. (Nasdaq:ZYME), a global biotechnology company, have partnered to visualize structures of antibody-antigen interfaces at high resolution.

While cryo-EM is now used routinely to determine structures of antibody complexes formed with compact and well-folded antigens, mapping antibody epitope footprints on small and flexible antigens remains highly challenging. In a new advance, Gandeeva scientists have determined the structure of a small and flexible antigen (< 20 kDa) bound to the Fab fragment of an antibody developed at Zymeworks. Of note, the team was able to visualize the nine amino acids that form the antibody-binding epitope at 2.6 Å resolution. The rest of the antigen is highly flexible and was not resolved in the reconstruction.

While cryo-EM is now used routinely to determine structures of antibody complexes formed with compact and well-folded antigens, mapping antibody epitope footprints on small and flexible antigens remains highly challenging. In a new advance, Gandeeva scientists have determined the structure of a small and flexible antigen (< 20 kDa) bound to the Fab fragment of an antibody developed at Zymeworks. Of note, the team was able to visualize the nine amino acids that form the antibody-binding epitope at 2.6 Å resolution. The rest of the antigen is highly flexible and was not resolved in the reconstruction.

"Knowledge of the precise interactions at the binding interface of these types of challenging targets is incredibly useful for us in selecting antibody leads and provides us with crucial insights for the optimization of biologics", said Dr. Paul Moore, Chief Scientific Officer of Zymeworks.

"Our ability to obtain near-atomic resolution cryo-EM structures of the antibody binding epitope within flexible and structurally intractable proteins is a game-changer, especially in the context of accelerating design of AI-driven antibodies", said Dr. Sriram Subramaniam, Founder and CEO of Gandeeva Therapeutics. "Experimental validation by high-resolution and high-throughput cryo-EM using Gandeeva's platform provides exactly the kind of rapid feedback that is essential for testing and validating antibodies derived by immunization and by computational design."

Gandeeva Therapeutics is a drug discovery company leveraging cryo-EM to advance the development of precision medicines. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Gandeeva operates from a purpose-built facility equipped with state-of-the-art cryo-EM instrumentation. Founded by Dr. Sriram Subramaniam, a global expert in structural biology, Gandeeva's mission is to uncover atomic-level insights into protein-drug interactions and accelerate therapeutic development for challenging diseases. Its proprietary platform streamlines structure-to-drug workflows, enabling rapid, iterative analysis of complex biological targets, including transient protein interfaces and membrane proteins. By integrating high-resolution imaging with advanced machine learning, Gandeeva supports the design of molecular glues, engineered antibodies, and small molecules to modulate protein function with precision and efficacy. Gandeeva applies its platform to its own drug development and partners with other biotechnology and pharma companies to accelerate their drug development programs.

For more information, visitwww.gandeeva.comor follow onLinkedInand @Gandeeva_Tx on X.

Zymeworks is a global biotechnology company managing a portfolio of licensed healthcare assets and developing a diverse pipeline of novel, multifunctional biotherapeutics to improve the standard of care for difficult-to-treat diseases, including cancer, inflammation, and autoimmune disease. Zymeworks asset and royalty aggregation strategy focuses on optimizing positive future cash flows from an emerging portfolio of licensed products such as Ziihera®(zanidatamab-hrii) and other licensed products and product candidates, such as pasritamig. In addition, Zymeworks is also building a portfolio of healthcare assets that can generate strong cash flows, while supporting the development of innovative medicines. Zymeworks is rapidly advancing a robust pipeline of product candidates, leveraging its expertise in both antibody drug conjugates and multispecific antibody therapeutics targeting novel pathways in areas of significant unmet medical need. Zymeworks complementary therapeutic platforms and fully integrated drug development engine provide the flexibility and compatibility to precisely engineer and develop highly differentiated antibody-based therapeutics. These capabilities have been further leveraged through strategic partnerships with global biopharmaceutical companies. For information about Zymeworks, visitwww.zymeworks.comand follow @ZymeworksInc on X.

SOURCE Gandeeva Therapeutics Inc.