PUXANO was founded in May 2021 in Antwerp, Belgium, and has since established itself as a drug discovery leader for structure-guided vaccine, antibody, and drug development. Through a period of focused technology development, we have built a unique platform covering the entire workflow, from protein design and production to biophysical validation and structure determination, that stands unmatched globally.
Our journey began with a focus on cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), where we addressed key bottlenecks in sample preparation. Over time, our platform expanded to include advancements in protein design and engineering, such as AI-driven tools for protein analysis, design, and engineering, as well as the parallelization of protein expression and purification processes to enable high-throughput screening.
Our achievements include receiving multiple awards and research grants from Belgian and European funding bodies, as well as fostering collaborations with leading industrial and academic research groups – over five of the top ten pharmaceutical companies use our technology. These partnerships have led to groundbreaking milestones, such as solving the first ion channel isolated from primary cells at sub-nanomolar concentrations and generating the first soluble analogue of an integral outer membrane protein, solidifying our reputation as the go-to partner for challenging protein targets.
In 2026, PUXANO relocated to Kortrijk to support a growing team of biochemists, structural biologists, bioinformaticians, and nanoengineers. Our new facilities provide access to cutting-edge structural biology labs, cell culture rooms allowing us to work with pathogenic organisms and primary cells, and nanotechnology clean rooms, while continuing to push the boundaries of protein research.
As an inclusive company, we are committed to creating a diverse and welcoming environment. We always welcome new individuals who share our passion for science and innovation, and together, we work to achieve remarkable advancements in biotechnology and structural biology.
Our mission is to accelerate structure-based protein research for challenging and unaddressed drug targets. We provide expertise and proprietary technologies in protein design, engineering, expression, purification, binding and activity analysis, as well as high-resolution structure determination via cryoEM. We aim to unlock access to the structures of even the most difficult targets, including proteins isolated from patient-derived materials, and leverage them to support the development of novel vaccines, protein therapeutics, small molecules, and biopesticides.
PUXANO strives to be the industry’s go-to partner in structure-based protein research for challenging and unaddressed drug targets. By developing and implementing novel technology platforms, we aim to eliminate trial-and-error cycles, reducing both time and resource consumption while unlocking access to drug targets previously deemed unreachable due to technological limitations. Our ultimate goal is to revolutionize drug development by enabling structure-guided drug design for proteins in their native, patient-like state, thereby maximizing drug efficacy and minimizing Phase 2 attrition.
Excel beyond competition
PUXANO strives for excellence beyond competition, fostering collaborative partnerships. We meticulously analyze workflow bottlenecks to understand why things fail and how technology can resolve them. We believe in sincere co-development and open-source initiatives that share our goals, aiming to create lasting, reproducible solutions for the benefit of all.
Innovate across disciplines
PUXANO is technology agnostic. The problem dictates the solution, allowing us to integrate diverse expertise in nanotechnology, structural biology, data science, and AI. This approach enables us to offer new perspectives on persistent challenges and develop multidisciplinary, innovative solutions.
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