b'USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCETO DISCOVER DRUGS IN NATUREViswa Colluru, Ph.D. Founder & CEO ENVEDA BIOSCIENCES Enveda BiosciencesViswa Colluru, Ph.D., switched his major fromColluru founded Enveda Biosciences in 2019 in computer science to biology after watchingBoulder. He signed a lease for 60,000 square his mother fight a losing battle with cancer.feet in Flatiron Park in 2022, and expanded He witnessed firsthand what happens wheninto cutting-edge lab space. Today, his vision C olorado ranks No. 1 for talent anda treatment offers a patient the prospect ofof East Meets West comes to life through a cure or at least an improved quality of life.his team, with researchers working at a new lead optimization lab the company opened in No. 2 for the most educated pop- The defining emotion of a patients journeyIndias Genome Valley and top talent working ulation in the United States. It hasis hope, and thats an effective medicine youat Enveda HQ in the heart of Boulder.the second-highest density of biomedicalcan access, said Colluru, who earned a Ph.D. engineers and ranks No. 22 for talent con- in cellular and molecular biology from theAdditionally, the Founder and CEO draws centration globally. A powerhouse for startupUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison, where hefrom his background in computer science creation, Colorados academic and researchdeveloped candidate therapeutics for pros- and biology to find new medicines in natural institutions spin out a variety of successful lifetate cancer. I wanted to make an impact onsources. The company uses AI models to power sciences and technology companies. patients lives via medicine.the companys proprietary drug discovery platform. Enveda translates molecules found Many of the technologies created in the stateColluru started testing the waters of newin nature into new and impactful medicines are born out of research conducted at onetechnologies in drug discovery. He learnedpeople need. The company first defines what of Colorados higher education or researchthings that work in the lab dont necessarilya convenient, safe, and effective product looks institutions. The University of Colorado Systemwork on people, which prompted him tolike and works backwards from there to deter-recently ranked in the top five for startup for- look for plants from which he could derivemine the biology thats needed to treat disease.mation, according to the latest report from thenatural medicines. Association of University Technology Managers,The approach is attracting significant invest-I realized we didnt have the technology as anment. Enveda has raised $175 million in four the leading global organization for recordingindustry to integrate natural chemistry into data on university commercialization.funding rounds. drug discovery workflows, he said. I couldnt Colorado is a hub for innovations that arestop thinking about the idea and shake theThe company is advancing two drugs into focused on improving patient outcomes. Theresponsibility to try that idea. I felt the journeyclinical trials next year, one for Irritable Bowel people behind the life-changing innovations arewould marry East and West, old and new andDisease and one for Atopic Dermatitis.passionate about their work and dedicated towe could create a new class of medicines forThe patient is at the center of everything we improving the lives of the people who use them.patients in need.do, Colluru said.The defining emotion of a patients journey is hope, and thats an effective medicine you can access. VISWA COLLURU, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Enveda Biosciences2023-2024 BIOSCIENCE COLORADO 15'