AI Biotech Proxima Raises $80M Seed Round Led by DCVC, Backed by NVIDIA, J&J, and BMS; Aims for Clinical Entry in 2026

Recently, AI PharmaceuticalCompanyProxima(Formerly known as VantAI)ProclamationThe cloth completed an oversubscription of 8000.Million USD (approximately 550 million RMB) Seed Round，This round of financing was led by DCVC, with participants includingNVIDIAThe venture capital departmentNVentures, known as the "bargain hunter" of innovative drugsRoivantetc.

This company mainly focuses onAI-Driven Proxima Therapy (proximity therapeutics), such therapiesBy controlling interactions between proteins, rather than merely inhibiting or activating a single target, representative types includeMolecular Glue, PROTACetc.

This round of financing will accelerate the first creationProxima TherapyProgress, expanding the druggable target space, and promoting more reliable discovery of novel mechanisms in oncology, immunology, and other disease areas.

Partnering with Johnson & Johnson and BMS to Target Challenging Drug Targets

Biological processes are mediated by protein-protein interactions, but less than 5% of these interactions have been structurally characterized, and the vast majority of the human interactome remains unexplored.

Proxima has recognized the market potential behind it and proposed the goal of "making protein interactions programmable."

ProximaOne of the core technologies isNeoLink Data Generation Technology, capable of generating structural information of protein complexes across the proteome to integrate with its Neo AI model series.

The first model in this seriesNeo-1 is the world's first decodingAndDesign a model for life structures that integrates the most advanced structural prediction and all-atom molecular generation into a unified model.

These systems collectively enable the end-to-end discovery and development of small molecules with close modulation, aiming to enhance safety, shorten timelines, and unlock entirely new therapeutic mechanisms to address previously "undruggable" challenging targets.

Currently, Proxima has established multi-billion-dollar research collaborations with leaders such as Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Blueprint Medicines (acquired by Sanofi), with the first project expected to enter clinical trials in 2026.