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Protera is a biotechnology company that works with protein engineering to address challenges in food, agriculture, the environment, and human health.
Protera has developed Molecular Affinity Device Interface (MADI), a protein design engine. MADI uses deep learning, a type of artificial intelligence that uses artificial neural networks to scan data sets and look for patterns. The engine is trained to learn how to assemble amino acid chains (the building blocks of proteins) into new proteins. MADI is designed to predict folded, three-dimensional structure, which determines the protein’s functional activity. MADI can correlate certain amino acid sequences and other factors with how the protein will fold and be shaped and is used to create designer enzymes, proteins, and peptides.
Protera Bio's products include food applications in the chocolate, vegetable oil, and dairy industries. For cooking oils, Protera Bio is developing enzymes that can improve the fatty acid composition to improve quality when fatty acid ratios are inconsistent. This can benefit vegetable oils because the quality of the raw plant ingredient used to make the oils can vary unpredictably due to climate and soil conditions. Their designer enzymes can change saturated fats to unsaturated fats. Since saturated fats are associated with obesity and heart disease, this can make some foods healthier. By changing saturated fats to unsaturated fats, Protera Bio created dark chocolate that melts at room temperature. Their product DairySain is a group of enzymes that reduce saturated fats quickly and easily from dairy products.
The Protera Bio team comes from Santiago, Chile, where they designed MADI, which is under trade secret. Protera Bio further developed its technology in San Francisco with the IndieBio accelerator program. Protera Bio has received government and public funding from Chile and private investments from Chile and the US. They have received $500K in total funding from angel investors, Start-Up Chile, CORFO, IndieBio, and SOSV with partner Arvind Gupta.
