Frontier IP Group PLC (AIM:FIPP) told investors it now has a 4.26% stake in DiaGen Ai Inc, a Canadian company specializing in AI-driven protein and peptide design for medical applications.
It received this interest in the DiaGen business in exchange for advisory services.
DiaGen has, meanwhile, entered into a Technology Evaluation Agreement with The Vaccine Group (TVG), another portfolio company of Frontier IP.
The collaboration aims to develop novel and improved vaccines for animal use, focusing initially on creating broadly protective vaccine candidates for a disease caused by a frequently mutating virus.
"We have been working with DiaGen for some time,” Frontier IP chief executive Neil Crabb said in a statement.
“The Technology Evaluation Agreement with TVG demonstrates the benefits of our clusters approach, where expertise and know-how can be shared profitably between companies.
“I look forward to seeing the successful results of this collaboration."
DiGen president Paolo Lobo added: "We are excited to further iterate our proprietary AI capabilities into a new addressable market in the Veterinary sector to optimize the ideal protein structures for expression and immune stimulation to complement TVG's experienced team in advancing their vaccine pipeline".
Meanwhile, TVG chief executive Jeremy Salt said: "The partnership with DiaGen will bring strong complementary AI approaches to develop novel and improved vaccines. TVG's herpesviral vector delivery system will be used to deliver optimal antigens designed by DiaGen for expression in animal patients.
“Initial focus will be on the development of broadly protective vaccine candidates for a disease caused by a highly variable virus.
“This new partnership with DiaGen represents a significant development in TVG's ability to address key gaps in the veterinary vaccine market.”