On February 20, 2025 Lantern Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRN), an artificial intelligence (AI) company dedicated to developing cancer therapies and transforming the cost, pace, and timeline of oncology drug discovery and development, reported the publication of its PCT patent application (PCT/US2024/019851) covering a novel machine learning solution for predicting blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability (Press release, Lantern Pharma, FEB 19, 2025, View Source [SID1234650395]). The application received a favorable PCT search report indicating no significant prior art, substantially strengthening its path to approval.
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The technology has demonstrated to-date exceptional performance in predicting BBB permeability across a wide range of chemical compounds, processing up to 100,000 molecules per hour with industry-leading accuracy. Notably, Lantern’s AI algorithms for BBB permeability prediction currently hold five of the top eleven positions on the Therapeutic Data Commons Leaderboard1. Lantern believes that this breakthrough capability can accelerate the drug development process by rapidly identifying compounds likely to cross the blood-brain barrier, a critical factor in developing treatments for central nervous system disorders and brain cancers. These identified compounds can then be accelerated and further developed by researchers in cancer drug development and other fields saving time and cost in early-stage molecular characterization.
"The publication of this PCT patent application represents a significant advancement in our AI-driven approach to drug development," stated Panna Sharma, Chief Executive Officer of Lantern Pharma. "This innovative technology not only enhances our internal development capabilities but also offers transformative potential for our partners and collaborators across the pharmaceutical industry. The system’s exceptional speed and accuracy in predicting BBB permeability positions Lantern at the forefront of CNS-targeted therapeutic development. We look forward to deploying this high-performing BBB model in collaboration with pharmaceutical partners and techbio-driven companies who seek to accelerate their development timelines while working with a partner committed to excellence, especially in the area of high-performing, predictive models for drug development."
The proprietary technology integrates advanced molecular representation techniques with synthetic data augmentation from features engineered from the chemical structure and bioactivity data which are then processed by leading-edge machine learning algorithms. Through integration with Lantern’s RADR AI platform, the system enables rapid and comprehensive assessment of both drug candidates and other molecules of interest for BBB permeability.
Lantern’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Starlight Therapeutics, intends to implement this technology to advance the development of STAR-001 and evaluate additional drug candidates. In addition, Lantern is actively expanding the system’s capabilities through the development of sophisticated sub-models that account for complex biological factors affecting BBB permeability. These enhancements are expected to further refine predictions by incorporating advanced features such as protein binding, active transport mechanisms, and disease-state modifications of the blood-brain barrier. This continued evolution of the technology demonstrates Lantern’s commitment to maintaining its leadership position in AI-driven drug development.
The PCT application enables Lantern to pursue patent protection in major markets worldwide, with potential coverage extending 20 years from the filing date. The company has initiated expedited review in the United States to accelerate market deployment.
This technological advancement reinforces Lantern’s position as an innovator in AI-driven drug development and strengthens its ability to develop more effective, targeted CNS cancer therapies. The company expects this development to significantly impact both its internal drug development pipeline and future collaboration opportunities.