A biotech startup, Archon Biosciences, has just emerged from stealth mode with an impressive $20 million in seed funding to supercharge antibody treatments using specially designed protein "cages" that multiply their effects. This innovative approach has the potential to open up new opportunities in drug development.

Archon is the first company to be spun out of Baker Lab, a renowned research outfit at the University of Washington, overseen by Nobel Prize winner David Baker. The company's technology leverages AI-powered protein design to create novel biomolecules, addressing a significant shortcoming in antibody treatments where the binding process relies on chance.

Archon's antibody cages, or AbCs, offer a scaffold for modifying and multiplying the effectiveness of antibodies, significantly improving their chances of binding to target proteins. This breakthrough could be the difference between determining whether a medication works or not.

The startup's protein design platform uses generative protein creation and simulation tools developed at Baker Lab, and the resulting AbCs could have a variety of effects. Notably, the manufacturing process is scalable and doesn't require exotic methods.

The $20 million funding round was led by Madrona Ventures, with participation from several other investors. Archon has also received $7 million in grants from various institutes and government agencies. With this significant investment, the company is poised to revolutionize the field of biologics development.