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Deep learning-enabled design of macrocyclic peptide binders

The discovery of macrocyclic peptide therapeutics has been slow. We introduce RFpeptides, a deep learning method that enables the de novo design of macrocyclic peptide binders to therapeutic targets. The designed macrocycles bind their respective protein targets with high affinity and atomic-level accuracy.

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Fig. 1: Design of high-affinity GABARAP-binding macrocycles using RFpeptides.

References

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This is a summary of: Rettie, S. A. et al. Accurate de novo design of high-affinity protein-binding macrocycles using deep learning. Nat. Chem. Biol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-025-01929-w (2025).

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Deep learning-enabled design of macrocyclic peptide binders. Nat Chem Biol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-025-02062-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-025-02062-4

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