Rayca Precision and ASAKE Partner on AI-Designed Therapeutics for Rare and Metabolic Diseases

 SAN FRANCISCO, CA & ATHENS, OH — June 2, 2026 — Rayca Precision and ASAKE Biotechnology today announced a strategic research and development collaboration to design, triage, and advance AI-generated therapeutics across rare and metabolic diseases. The partnership integrates Rayca’s physics-aware AI drug discovery engine with ASAKE’s translational capabilities in biosynthetic technology, synthetic chemistry, and emerging modalities, with the goal of rapidly progressing multi-modal assets (linear and macrocyclic peptides as well as small molecules) into preclinical development and future partnering.

Over recent months, the two companies have generated preliminary laboratory data in independent cell-based assays indicating that AI-designed peptides can influence receptor-mediated signaling pathways. These data are currently undergoing repetition and independent confirmation to ensure robustness and reproducibility. Both partners emphasize that these early findings represent an initial validation step in a broader roadmap toward preclinical milestones and future partnering opportunities.

“AI-assisted molecule design and screening, grounded in rigorous experimental validation, can improve the quality and partner-readiness of preclinical assets,” said Pouya Behrouzi, Chief Executive Officer of Rayca Precision. “Our collaboration with ASAKE has already produced promising early data in metabolic disease models. Together, we aim to advance high-quality, partner-ready programs that address significant unmet clinical needs.” 

“The early signals are promising, but we are proceeding carefully and methodically,” said Dr. Shiyong Wu, President of ASAKE Biotechnology. “By focusing on metabolic diseases, this partnership aligns with our mission to translate biosynthetic and chemical innovations into real-world therapeutic solutions, while maintaining strong attention to reproducibility and intellectual property protection.” 

The companies’ joint strategy is designed for industry-grade execution and eventual collaboration with biopharma partners. Rayca and ASAKE are aligning on a sequence of preclinical value inflection points, hit expansion and triage, orthogonal validation, developability screening, and IND-enabling readiness, so that programs can be positioned for structured out-licensing as they mature. 

The global market for metabolic disease therapeutics exceeds $150 billion annually and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 6 to 7 percent over the next decade, driven by rising prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and related metabolic disorders. Recent AI-enabled discovery partnerships in this space have reached headline values ranging from $100 million to over $1 billion, depending on asset scope and stage, establishing market precedent for the partnering economics Rayca and ASAKE intend to pursue.

Rayca Precision and ASAKE intend to expand their collaboration into additional disease areas and molecular targets over time, leveraging their complementary capabilities in AI modeling, compound synthesis, and biological evaluation. Both partners share a conviction that AI-driven discovery, coupled with disciplined experimental validation, can improve the quality and partner-readiness of preclinical assets.