{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"67571","rtpr_id":"nPn1QKSbta","ticker":"ZYME","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["ZYME"],"title":"Gandeeva and Zymeworks Use Cryo-EM to Accelerate Antibody Drug Discovery","author":"PR Newswire","published_at":"2026-06-18T12:00:06.273Z","article_body":"Gandeeva and Zymeworks Use Cryo-EM to Accelerate Antibody Drug Discovery\n\nPR Newswire\n\nVANCOUVER, BC, June 18, 2026\n\nVancouver-based biotech companies Gandeeva Therapeutics and Zymeworks have\npartnered to generate cryo-EM–based structural data to augment antibody drug\ndiscovery.\n\nVANCOUVER, BC, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Gandeeva Therapeutics, Inc., a\nbiotech at the forefront of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM)–driven drug\ndesign, and Zymeworks Inc. (Nasdaq: ZYME), a global biotechnology company,\nhave partnered to visualize structures of antibody-antigen interfaces at high\nresolution.\n\nWhile cryo-EM is now used routinely to determine structures of antibody\ncomplexes formed with compact and well-folded antigens, mapping antibody\nepitope footprints on small and flexible antigens remains highly challenging.\nIn a new advance, Gandeeva scientists have determined the structure of a small\nand flexible antigen (< 20 kDa) bound to the Fab fragment of an antibody\ndeveloped at Zymeworks. Of note, the team was able to visualize the nine amino\nacids that form the antibody-binding epitope at 2.6 Å resolution. The rest of\nthe antigen is highly flexible and was not resolved in the reconstruction.\n\n\"Knowledge of the precise interactions at the binding interface of these types\nof challenging targets is incredibly useful for us in selecting antibody leads\nand provides us with crucial insights for the optimization of biologics\", said\nDr. Paul Moore, Chief Scientific Officer of Zymeworks.\n\n\"Our ability to obtain near-atomic resolution cryo-EM structures of the\nantibody binding epitope within flexible and structurally intractable proteins\nis a game-changer, especially in the context of accelerating design of\nAI-driven antibodies\", said Dr. Sriram Subramaniam, Founder and CEO of\nGandeeva Therapeutics. \"Experimental validation by high-resolution and\nhigh-throughput cryo-EM using Gandeeva's platform provides exactly the kind of\nrapid feedback that is essential for testing and validating antibodies derived\nby immunization and by computational design.\"\n\nAbout Gandeeva\n\nGandeeva Therapeutics is a drug discovery company leveraging cryo-EM to\nadvance the development of precision medicines. Headquartered in Vancouver,\nCanada, Gandeeva operates from a purpose-built facility equipped with\nstate-of-the-art cryo-EM instrumentation. Founded by Dr. Sriram Subramaniam, a\nglobal expert in structural biology, Gandeeva's mission is to uncover\natomic-level insights into protein-drug interactions and accelerate\ntherapeutic development for challenging diseases. Its proprietary platform\nstreamlines structure-to-drug workflows, enabling rapid, iterative analysis of\ncomplex biological targets, including transient protein interfaces and\nmembrane proteins. By integrating high-resolution imaging with advanced\nmachine learning, Gandeeva supports the design of molecular glues, engineered\nantibodies, and small molecules to modulate protein function with precision\nand efficacy. Gandeeva applies its platform to its own drug development and\npartners with other biotechnology and pharma companies to accelerate their\ndrug development programs.\n\nFor more information, visit www.gandeeva.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4712931-1&h=850484163&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gandeeva.com%2F&a=www.gandeeva.com)\nor follow on LinkedIn\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4712931-1&h=481048029&u=https%3A%2F%2Fca.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fgandeeva-therapeutics&a=LinkedIn)\nand @Gandeeva_Tx on X.\n\nAbout Zymeworks\n\nZymeworks is a global biotechnology company managing a portfolio of licensed\nhealthcare assets and developing a diverse pipeline of novel, multifunctional\nbiotherapeutics to improve the standard of care for difficult-to-treat\ndiseases, including cancer, inflammation, and autoimmune disease. Zymeworks\nasset and royalty aggregation strategy focuses on optimizing positive future\ncash flows from an emerging portfolio of licensed products such as Ziihera(®)\n(zanidatamab-hrii) and other licensed products and product candidates, such as\npasritamig. In addition, Zymeworks is also building a portfolio of\nhealthcare assets that can generate strong cash flows, while supporting the\ndevelopment of innovative medicines. Zymeworks is rapidly advancing a robust\npipeline of product candidates, leveraging its expertise in both antibody drug\nconjugates and multispecific antibody therapeutics targeting novel pathways in\nareas of significant unmet medical need. Zymeworks complementary therapeutic\nplatforms and fully integrated drug development engine provide the flexibility\nand compatibility to precisely engineer and develop highly differentiated\nantibody-based therapeutics. These capabilities have been further leveraged\nthrough strategic partnerships with global biopharmaceutical companies. For\ninformation about Zymeworks, visit www.zymeworks.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4712931-1&h=86076116&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zymeworks.com%2F&a=www.zymeworks.com)\nand follow @ZymeworksInc on X.\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gandeeva-and-zymeworks-use-cryo-em-to-accelerate-antibody-drug-discovery-302803619.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gandeeva-and-zymeworks-use-cryo-em-to-accelerate-antibody-drug-discovery-302803619.html)\n\nSOURCE Gandeeva Therapeutics Inc.\n\n\n\nMedia Contact for Gandeeva Therapeutics, Allan Mah, Associate Director of Business Development, 1 (604) 262-9820, bd@gandeeva.com\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1868473/Gandeeva_Therapeutics_Inc--Gandeeva_and_Zymeworks_Use_Cryo-EM_to.jpg?id=OA2723555\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1868471/Gandeeva_Therapeutics_Inc--Gandeeva_and_Zymeworks_Use_Cryo-EM_to.jpg?id=OA2723554\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved.","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nPn1QKSbta","title":"Gandeeva and Zymeworks Use Cryo-EM to Accelerate Antibody Drug Discovery","author":"PR Newswire","ticker":"ZYME","created":"2026-06-18T12:00:06.273Z","tickers":["ZYME"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"Gandeeva and Zymeworks Use Cryo-EM to Accelerate Antibody Drug Discovery\n\nPR Newswire\n\nVANCOUVER, BC, June 18, 2026\n\nVancouver-based biotech companies Gandeeva Therapeutics and Zymeworks have\npartnered to generate cryo-EM–based structural data to augment antibody drug\ndiscovery.\n\nVANCOUVER, BC, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Gandeeva Therapeutics, Inc., a\nbiotech at the forefront of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM)–driven drug\ndesign, and Zymeworks Inc. (Nasdaq: ZYME), a global biotechnology company,\nhave partnered to visualize structures of antibody-antigen interfaces at high\nresolution.\n\nWhile cryo-EM is now used routinely to determine structures of antibody\ncomplexes formed with compact and well-folded antigens, mapping antibody\nepitope footprints on small and flexible antigens remains highly challenging.\nIn a new advance, Gandeeva scientists have determined the structure of a small\nand flexible antigen (< 20 kDa) bound to the Fab fragment of an antibody\ndeveloped at Zymeworks. Of note, the team was able to visualize the nine amino\nacids that form the antibody-binding epitope at 2.6 Å resolution. The rest of\nthe antigen is highly flexible and was not resolved in the reconstruction.\n\n\"Knowledge of the precise interactions at the binding interface of these types\nof challenging targets is incredibly useful for us in selecting antibody leads\nand provides us with crucial insights for the optimization of biologics\", said\nDr. Paul Moore, Chief Scientific Officer of Zymeworks.\n\n\"Our ability to obtain near-atomic resolution cryo-EM structures of the\nantibody binding epitope within flexible and structurally intractable proteins\nis a game-changer, especially in the context of accelerating design of\nAI-driven antibodies\", said Dr. Sriram Subramaniam, Founder and CEO of\nGandeeva Therapeutics. \"Experimental validation by high-resolution and\nhigh-throughput cryo-EM using Gandeeva's platform provides exactly the kind of\nrapid feedback that is essential for testing and validating antibodies derived\nby immunization and by computational design.\"\n\nAbout Gandeeva\n\nGandeeva Therapeutics is a drug discovery company leveraging cryo-EM to\nadvance the development of precision medicines. Headquartered in Vancouver,\nCanada, Gandeeva operates from a purpose-built facility equipped with\nstate-of-the-art cryo-EM instrumentation. Founded by Dr. Sriram Subramaniam, a\nglobal expert in structural biology, Gandeeva's mission is to uncover\natomic-level insights into protein-drug interactions and accelerate\ntherapeutic development for challenging diseases. Its proprietary platform\nstreamlines structure-to-drug workflows, enabling rapid, iterative analysis of\ncomplex biological targets, including transient protein interfaces and\nmembrane proteins. By integrating high-resolution imaging with advanced\nmachine learning, Gandeeva supports the design of molecular glues, engineered\nantibodies, and small molecules to modulate protein function with precision\nand efficacy. Gandeeva applies its platform to its own drug development and\npartners with other biotechnology and pharma companies to accelerate their\ndrug development programs.\n\nFor more information, visit www.gandeeva.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4712931-1&h=850484163&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gandeeva.com%2F&a=www.gandeeva.com)\nor follow on LinkedIn\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4712931-1&h=481048029&u=https%3A%2F%2Fca.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fgandeeva-therapeutics&a=LinkedIn)\nand @Gandeeva_Tx on X.\n\nAbout Zymeworks\n\nZymeworks is a global biotechnology company managing a portfolio of licensed\nhealthcare assets and developing a diverse pipeline of novel, multifunctional\nbiotherapeutics to improve the standard of care for difficult-to-treat\ndiseases, including cancer, inflammation, and autoimmune disease. Zymeworks\nasset and royalty aggregation strategy focuses on optimizing positive future\ncash flows from an emerging portfolio of licensed products such as Ziihera(®)\n(zanidatamab-hrii) and other licensed products and product candidates, such as\npasritamig. In addition, Zymeworks is also building a portfolio of\nhealthcare assets that can generate strong cash flows, while supporting the\ndevelopment of innovative medicines. Zymeworks is rapidly advancing a robust\npipeline of product candidates, leveraging its expertise in both antibody drug\nconjugates and multispecific antibody therapeutics targeting novel pathways in\nareas of significant unmet medical need. Zymeworks complementary therapeutic\nplatforms and fully integrated drug development engine provide the flexibility\nand compatibility to precisely engineer and develop highly differentiated\nantibody-based therapeutics. These capabilities have been further leveraged\nthrough strategic partnerships with global biopharmaceutical companies. For\ninformation about Zymeworks, visit www.zymeworks.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4712931-1&h=86076116&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zymeworks.com%2F&a=www.zymeworks.com)\nand follow @ZymeworksInc on X.\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gandeeva-and-zymeworks-use-cryo-em-to-accelerate-antibody-drug-discovery-302803619.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gandeeva-and-zymeworks-use-cryo-em-to-accelerate-antibody-drug-discovery-302803619.html)\n\nSOURCE Gandeeva Therapeutics Inc.\n\n\n\nMedia Contact for Gandeeva Therapeutics, Allan Mah, Associate Director of Business Development, 1 (604) 262-9820, bd@gandeeva.com\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1868473/Gandeeva_Therapeutics_Inc--Gandeeva_and_Zymeworks_Use_Cryo-EM_to.jpg?id=OA2723555\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1868471/Gandeeva_Therapeutics_Inc--Gandeeva_and_Zymeworks_Use_Cryo-EM_to.jpg?id=OA2723554\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved."},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-06-18T12:00:06.356820682Z","server_sent_at_ms":1781784006356},"received_at":"2026-06-18T12:00:06.415Z","source_url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gandeeva-and-zymeworks-use-cryo-em-to-accelerate-antibody-drug-discovery-302803619.html"},"analysis":{"id":"56985","press_release_id":"67571","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Biotechnology","sector":"Health Care"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"partnership","narrative":"Zymeworks partnered with Gandeeva Therapeutics to utilize cryo-EM technology for visualizing antibody-antigen interfaces at high resolution.\n\nThe collaboration achieved the structural determination of a small and flexible antigen bound to a Zymeworks antibody fragment at 2.6 Å resolution.\n\nManagement noted that these precise interaction insights are crucial for selecting antibody leads and optimizing biologics.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Partnership leverages cryo-EM to overcome structural challenges in antibody optimization."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"antigen_size_kda":"< 20","epitope_amino_acids":"nine","resolution_angstroms":"2.6"}},"quotedText":"Knowledge of the precise interactions at the binding interface of these types of challenging targets is incredibly useful for us in selecting antibody leads and provides us with crucial insights for the optimization of biologics","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Dr. Paul Moore","role":"Chief Scientific Officer of Zymeworks"},{"name":"Dr. Sriram Subramaniam","role":"Founder and CEO of Gandeeva Therapeutics"}],"products":["Ziihera","zanidatamab-hrii","pasritamig"],"companies":[{"name":"Gandeeva Therapeutics, Inc.","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"Zymeworks Inc.","ticker":"ZYME","relationship":"partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":2,"reasoning":"Strategic partnership leveraging Gandeeva's cryo-EM platform to enhance Zymeworks' antibody optimization. While it provides technical advantages for drug discovery, it is a routine R&D collaboration without immediate financial impact or binary clinical outcomes."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"ZYME"},"globalImportance":15,"audienceRelevance":15,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"small_mid_cap","eventGravity":"tech_collaboration","sectorWeight":"biotech"}},"event_type":"partnership","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":2,"narrative":"Zymeworks partnered with Gandeeva Therapeutics to utilize cryo-EM technology for visualizing antibody-antigen interfaces at high resolution.\n\nThe collaboration achieved the structural determination of a small and flexible antigen bound to a Zymeworks antibody fragment at 2.6 Å resolution.\n\nManagement noted that these precise interaction insights are crucial for selecting antibody leads and optimizing biologics.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"antigen_size_kda":"< 20","epitope_amino_acids":"nine","resolution_angstroms":"2.6"}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Dr. Paul Moore","role":"Chief Scientific Officer of Zymeworks"},{"name":"Dr. Sriram Subramaniam","role":"Founder and CEO of Gandeeva Therapeutics"}],"products":["Ziihera","zanidatamab-hrii","pasritamig"],"companies":[{"name":"Gandeeva Therapeutics, Inc.","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"Zymeworks Inc.","ticker":"ZYME","relationship":"partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"qwen3_6_27b_awq","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-06-18T12:28:09.505Z","global_importance":15,"audience_relevance":15,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"small_mid_cap","eventGravity":"tech_collaboration","sectorWeight":"biotech"}},"durationMs":97778,"modelName":"george-droid-qwen-72b"}}