Programmable aptamers, designed for real-world performance
- Sub-nanomolar binding affinity and high specificity
- Tunable stability and bioavailability profiles
- Designed for real-world conditions (temperature, matrix, reversibility)
- 10x smaller size than antibodies (4-30 kDa)
- Site-specific programmability down to single mutations
- Rapid design and in vitro validation (~20 days)
- Chemically synthesised with high reproducibility
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Digital molecules: aptamers
Analogue molecules: antibodies
Continuous sensing & diagnostics
Targeted therapeutics
One platform,
enables multiple applications
Continuous sensing & diagnostics
Aptamers engineered for reversible binding, stability and matrix performance enable continuous monitoring of hormones, metabolites, therapeutic drugs and biomarkers beyond glucose.
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Targeted therapeutics
Programmable aptamers can be engineered for specificity, pharmacokinetics and cell interaction, enabling new approaches in oncology and targeted drug delivery.
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A single platform enables multiple assets across each application area.
Why now for programmable aptamers
- Foundational patents have expired, enabling broader commercial adoption
- Advances in RNA and DNA therapeutics have validated programmable oligonucleotide modalities
- New applications such as continuous sensing require molecular performance beyond traditional discovery methods
- PentaBind’s platform enables multi-characteristic aptamer design at speed and scale
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Together, these shifts position aptamers as a next-generation molecular modality across diagnostics and therapeutics
Scientifically proven
Commercially deployed
- Delivers application-ready aptamer assets, not just binders
- 300× increase in target-specific aptamer hits vs traditional SELEX
- Reduced design cycle from 3–6 months to ~22 days, including in-matrix validation
- Deployed across multiple commercial and research programmes
- Proprietary multi-parameter sequence–function dataset
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Platform-generated
asset pipeline
- Multiple sensing programmes across hormones, metabolites and biomarkers
- Delivered aptamer assets with repeat commercial engagement
- Active programmes with commercial and research partners
- Therapeutic assets in oncology supported by the UK’s largest radiopharma consortium
PentaBind's aptamers selectively internalise into cancer cells
Therapeutics
platform extension
PentaBind applies its programmable aptamer platform to generate therapeutic assets, with an initial focus on oncology and radiotherapeutics.
These programmes leverage the same design engine used in sensing, creating high-value partnering opportunities while remaining capital-efficient.
PentaBind’s uniqueness-based selection outperformed our original candidates. Their AI identified an aptamer, now our best performer by a wide margin, that we would have overlooked under our previous enrichment methods"
A track record in asset development and aptamer commercialisation
A multi-disciplinary team spanning data science, biology, chemistry, automation engineering and asset development with experience taking aptamer products to market.
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Shortlisted as Best New Startup of the Year by Cancer Research Horizons
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Shortlisted as Deep Tech Investment of the Year by the UK Business Angels Association. This prestigious award is sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering
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