WuXi launches library with access to 80m DNA-Encoded small molecules

The DNA-Encoded Library (DEL) uses DNA sequences to tag each chemical entity within a library so clients have the ability to enable deconvolution following affinity selection against a target protein.

WuXi built a team of DEL experts in 2016. Now two years after the formation of the team, the new DEL platform has been launched. It includes 80 million unique small molecules, and according to WuXi, is structurally diverse and chemically exclusive.

All existing libraries are readily screenable and DEL scientists will add between 10 and 20bn more compounds to the collection.

Steve Yang, executive VP and CBO at WuXi stated, “[the] platform is a powerful new capability to enable our customers to explore molecular diversity and generate novel hits for their targets.”​

WuXi stated that the DEL team’s sequencing capacity is supported by informatics in modeling, mining and interpreting sequencing data. Targets from different classes have been screened and multiple nanomolar hits have been identified.

The platform is currently being used by pharmaceutical companies and academic clients.