Yi Chengqi's group at Peking University and collaborators published a study in Nature describing ContactSeek, an AI framework based on AlphaFold3 contact probabilities that systematically identifies amino acid residues determining editing specificity in base editors. The work combined AlphaFold3-predicted contact probabilities with off-target editing data from high-throughput sequencing, then engineered Cas proteins and deaminases accordingly, markedly improving editing specificity and establishing a new paradigm for precision design of gene-editing tools.
Why it matters: The coupling of AlphaFold3 contact probabilities with high-throughput off-target data can be transferred to specificity engineering of other base editors or Cas proteins.
Jiangsu Alphamab Oncology has granted Pathos AI exclusive rights to develop and commercialize JSKN016, a first-in-class TROP2/HER3 bispecific antibody-drug conjugate, outside China. The deal includes $125 million upfront and up to $2.09 billion in development, regulatory and sales milestone payments, plus tiered royalties after launch. JSKN016 was developed in-house using Alphamab's single-domain antibody and glycosite-specific conjugation platforms. Next steps are Pathos-led ex-China development and commercialization.
