Stoked Bio Licenses Potential Crohn's Therapy
Canadian biotech company Stoked Bio has secured an exclusive global license to develop Enterololin, an antibiotic. The company will lead the development of the compound as a potential therapeutic for Crohn's disease.
- Enterololin is a narrow-spectrum antibiotic that selectively targets adherent-invasive *E. coli* (AIEC), a bacterium linked to Crohn's disease, while aiming to preserve the patient's beneficial gut microbiome. Its novel mechanism of action involves inhibiting the LolCDE protein complex, which is crucial for the survival of certain bacteria. - The discovery process was significantly accelerated by artificial intelligence; MIT's DiffDock AI model predicted the drug's mechanism of action, a step that typically takes years and millions of dollars, in a fraction of the time and cost. This AI-guided analysis was completed in about six months for approximately $60,000. - The compound was discovered at McMaster University in the lab of Dr. Jon Stokes, who is also a co-founder and the Chief Scientific Officer of Stoked Bio. The company, founded in 2024 and led by CEO Jeff Skinner, will now advance the therapeutic with a goal of reaching human clinical trials within three years. - Stoked Bio employs a proprietary, biology-first, AI-assisted drug discovery platform named MOSAIC™ to develop therapies for resistant diseases, including infections and cancers like glioblastoma. The company's business model involves forming early pharma partnerships to generate revenue for fueling further R&D. - The global market for Crohn's disease therapeutics was estimated to be over $10 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach over $17 billion by 2033-2035, indicating a significant commercial opportunity. A persistent unmet need exists as many patients do not achieve or maintain remission with current treatments, which often include biologics and immunomodulators. - This licensing agreement comes during a robust period for biotech deal-making, which saw over $250 billion in licensing transactions in 2025, with the average deal size increasing by 76% in early 2026. This climate reflects strong interest from larger pharmaceutical companies in acquiring innovative, scientifically differentiated assets from smaller biotechs.
