Aug. 7 at 10:38 PM
$ABCL GPCRs and ion channels are large families of membrane proteins that control most cell signaling — GPCRs relay hormones and neurotransmitters through a shape-change cascade, while ion channels open and close to let charged ions flow, driving nerve firing, heart rhythm, and more. Together they underlie roughly a third of approved drugs, since physiology like mood, pain, blood pressure, and hormone regulation runs through them.
The catch: both are notoriously hard to hit with antibodies, which need a large, stable surface to bind, while GPCRs and ion channels are mostly buried in the membrane with only small, shifting loops exposed — historically small-molecule (pill) territory. AbCellera built this platform to solve that problem, and ABCL635 (targeting NK3R) is the first molecule out of it to reach clinic.
That's why Monday matters beyond one drug — a clean result validates the platform's ability to turn "undruggable" targets into a pipeline, the bigger thesis behind the stock.
