Flindr Therapeutics and CrystalsFirst expand collaboration to advance oncology drug discovery

19 June 2025 -- Hamburg, Germany and Oss, The Netherlands -- Flindr Therapeutics, a precision oncology company developing first-in-class small molecule inhibitors for cancer, and CrystalsFirst, a leader in structure-based drug discovery and target enablement, today announced a strategic partnership to accelerate target enablement and drug discovery across Flindr’s oncology pipeline. The collaboration combines Flindr’s novel cancer targets with CrystalsFirst’s advanced target enablement platform to speed up the creation of new therapies for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.

CrystalsFirst has delivered valuable structural insights that guided Flindr’s medicinal chemistry efforts, accelerating the progression from hits to an optimized lead compound of RNF31. Following a successful initial engagement, Flindr and CrystalsFirst will explore further applications of CrystalsFirst’s MAGNET platform across selected programs in Flindr’s pipeline. By integrating cutting edge crystallography and AI-driven molecular design, Flindr aims to fast-track additional first-in-class programs toward preclinical development. The alliance underscores both companies’ commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver novel cancer therapeutics to patients faster.

“We are very impressed by the impact CrystalsFirst’s platform has had on our discovery efforts,” said Maarten Ligtenberg, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and founder of Flindr Therapeutics. “Their structural biology and fragment screening technologies provided valuable insights that helped us advance our programs. This collaboration enables us to selectively apply these capabilities across our pipeline as we pursue first-in-class precision oncology therapies that can truly make a difference for patients.”

“Flindr’s innovative approach to precision oncology is an ideal match for our MAGNET platform,” said Dr. Serghei Glinca, founder and Chief Executive Officer of CrystalsFirst. “By combining Flindr’s cutting-edge target discovery with our structure-first design tools, we can rapidly unlock tractable binding sites and novel chemistry for difficult targets. We are excited to support Flindr’s mission of translating pioneering cancer research into promising new therapies.”

About Flindr Therapeutics
Flindr Therapeutics, founded in 2020 by the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) and the Oncode Institute, is advancing a pipeline of first-in-class small molecule inhibitors for the precision treatment of cancer. Central to this effort is the company’s proprietary ImmunoGram Drug Discovery Engine, which enables the identification of novel therapeutic targets in both cancer and immune cells. By translating these precision targets into tailored therapies, Flindr is committed to delivering transformative treatment options for cancer patients and address unmet medical needs. Visit: https://flindrtx.com.

About CrystalsFirst
CrystalsFirst is a leading specialist in structure-based drug discovery and target enablement. Founded in 2018, CrystalsFirst has developed the MAGNET platform, a breakthrough technology platform that integrates advanced crystallographic techniques with artificial intelligence to unlock chemical matter for difficult targets. The platform’s components include SmartSoak®, which accelerates the path and increase the success rate protein-ligand co-structures, and FragAI, a proprietary generative AI system for molecular design and optimization. Using this unique “structure-first” approach, CrystalsFirst has successfully enabled structural data and hit finding for over 40 drug targets​, empowering pharma and biotech partners to design novel modulators for proteins that were previously intractable. For more information, please visit: www.crystalsfirst.com.