ENZYME INHIBITORS
Molecules that shut down harmful enzymes to help treat diseases. Enzyme inhibitors sit at the core of treatments for cancer, antibiotic resistance, and viral disease—fueling billions in pharmaceutical R&D.
WHERE TRADITIONAL DRUG DISCOVERY FAILS
Indirect signals dominate early discovery
Most discovery programs rely on binding or proxy assays that suggest interaction but do not confirm whether an enzyme has actually stopped working.​
​​True inhibition is tested too late​​
Functional enzyme inhibition is usually evaluated only after significant time and resources have already been invested in narrowing down candidates.​
Misleading hits slow progress
As a result, weak or false positives advance through discovery, leading to high failure rates, longer timelines, and wasted effort when compounds fail at later stages.
OUR TECHNOLOGY
Illume Bio measures real enzyme activity using engineered substrates designed for functional screening.
We help identify true enzyme inhibitors early, providing efficient screening for drug discovery.
SCALING ACROSS BIOLOGY
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Illume Bio is built to identify true enzyme inhibitors by measuring real enzyme activity. We are starting with enzyme classes where accurate inhibition matters most and where existing methods often fall short.
Kinase Inhibtion
35%
of human cancers involve abnormal kinase signaling
Kinases act as control switches inside cells, regulating when cells grow, divide, repair damage, or shut down. When these signals become overactive or stuck on, cells receive constant instructions to grow and survive. Kinase inhibitors are designed to restore balance by turning these signals back down.
β-Lactamases
1 enzyme,
many antibiotics
β-lactamases are enzymes produced by bacteria that break down common antibiotics, allowing infections to persist. By inhibiting β-lactamases, existing antibiotics can regain their ability to kill bacteria, without relying solely on the development of entirely new drugs.
Antiviral Enzymes
1-3
enzymes control viral replication
Antiviral drugs work by blocking the enzymes viruses need to replicate and spread. When this inhibition is precise and effective, viral replication is stopped at its source, reducing viral load and limiting disease progression. This early shutdown helps create treatments that are both stronger and more durable against infection.
Esterases
Minutes
can make or break a drug
Esterases can determine a drug’s fate within minutes of entering the body. Subtle changes in their activity can mean the difference between an effective treatment and a compound that is broken down before it can work. Measuring real esterase activity early is critical for designing drugs that are stable, safe, and perform as intended.
RECOGNITION & TRACTION
