Axxam and X‑Chem announce collaboration to broaden access to DNA-Encoded Library screening for early drug discovery
Milan, Italy and Waltham, MA, USA, May 8, 2025 – Axxam S.p.A., a leading provider of integrated early discovery services, and X-Chem, Inc., a leader in DNA-Encoded Library (DEL) screening and innovative chemistry technologies, are pleased to announce a collaboration aimed at expanding the range of early drug discovery solutions offered to pharmaceutical and biotech companies, as well as academic institutions, worldwide.
This joint initiative stems from a shared commitment to tackling the growing challenge of undruggable or difficult-to-drug targets. By combining Axxam’s deep expertise in biology and comprehensive compound profiling with X-Chem’s high-performance DEL technology, the collaboration offers a more integrated and versatile screening portfolio designed to uncover novel hits across a broad spectrum of target classes.
“In a landscape where many therapeutic targets remain elusive using traditional approaches, it is critical to explore multiple discovery avenues in parallel,” said Ciriaco Maraschiello, CEO of Axxam. “Partnering with
X-Chem broadens the panel of possibilities for our clients within the framework of Axxam’s Early Drug Discovery process from Target to Lead.”
DEL screening enables the rapid interrogation of vast chemical spaces – often exceeding billions of compounds – within a single experiment. As part of the collaboration, DEL screening will be offered both as a standalone screening option and as a complementary strategy to Axxam’s existing screening technologies.
“Collaborations like this are essential to advancing discovery against the most challenging targets,” said Karen Lackey, CEO of X-Chem. “By integrating our DEL capabilities with Axxam’s biological expertise, we are creating a more powerful and flexible screening toolkit; one that gives researchers a real edge in the earliest, most critical stages of drug development.”
Together, Axxam and X-Chem are committed to offering a broader and more flexible drug discovery engine, tailored to the unique challenges of each target and therapeutic area.
About Axxam S.p.A.
Axxam S.p.A. is a leading provider of integrated discovery services across the life sciences industry. Within the drug discovery disciplines, we support pharma, biotech companies, start-ups, patient foundations as well as academic groups in their journey from hit identification to lead generation, regardless of the therapeutic area and target class. Our services include assay development, high-throughput screening, using either Axxam’s high quality compound collections (synthetic and natural) or those provided by clients, hit validation, hit-to-lead and compound management. The same science-driven approach is also applied to identify new bioactive compounds for crop protection, animal health, food, beverage, pet food, cosmetic and perfume industries. For more infomation, visit www.axxam.com.
About X-Chem, Inc.
X-Chem is a pioneer in data-driven small molecule drug discovery. By integrating DNA-encoded library (DEL) technology, artificial intelligence, and medicinal chemistry, X-Chem accelerates the path from target to clinical candidate. With a proven track record across complex targets and therapeutic areas, X-Chem delivers smarter hits, faster timelines, and reduced early-stage risk for pharmaceutical and biotech partners. Learn more at www.x-chemrx.com.