How to Find Early-Stage Assets?

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Watch this 9 min video chapter on smart approaches to pinpoint the difficult-to-find early stage assets.

https://share.descript.com/view/Tec5VnCq7Fo?t=2736.484

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Search - first: break down the topic to build a query that captures everything relevant, while minimizing noise

Example: Disease (or target name) + mechanistic terms (as its early stage) + action & modality terms.

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Query:

("atopic dermatitis" OR eczema)

AND (pathway OR signaling OR mechanism OR target OR receptor OR kinase OR transcription factor OR "skin barrier" OR keratinocyte OR pruritus OR itch OR neuroimmune OR microbiome OR "innate immunity" OR inflammation)

AND (modulate OR modulation OR inhibit OR activate OR block OR target OR antagonist OR agonist OR inhibitor OR pharmacologic OR genetic OR drug OR compound OR lead OR candidate OR biologic OR “small molecule” OR “gene therapy” OR “cell therapy” OR siRNA OR silencing OR oligonucleotide OR mRNA)

NOT (review)

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In Projects, filter:

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Start year: 2025

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AI - ask up to 50 projects:

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What are novel early drugs/treatments in discovery/development for atopic dermatitis? List them in a table with per column interesting criteria

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In Ongoing Research:

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What are novel early drugs/treatments in discovery/development for atopic dermatitis? List them in a table with per column interesting criteria

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In Publications:

Filter:

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Publication years: 2024-2025

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AI - One-by-one analysis

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Describe what I need:

I want to find (very) early asset opportunities for atopic dermatitis.

See example questions it comes up with: </aside>

Analysis: in Excel, filter on novelty type etc.

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Access the Excel file analysis here:

Find Early Assets for Atopic Dermatitis in Publications.xlsx

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In Research Groups:

Filter:

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Published in: 2025

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AI - Ask Anything - First 25

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Q1. Is the group currently (since 2023) developing a new drug for atopic dermatitis? Answer with: Yes (specify the name(s), No, Unclear

Q2. List the last known date or year for which you found evidence that this company works on a new drug for atopic dermatitis. If none, say 'NA'.

Q3. What is the primary biological target or pathway investigated or claimed? (Just mention the short name. If multiple, list all.)

Q4. What is the role of this target/pathway in atopic dermatitis pathophysiology? (Answer shortly, e.g. immune signaling, skin barrier, neuro-immune, microbiome)

Q5. Is this target novel or underexplored in atopic dermatitis? Options: Known / Emerging / Largely novel / Unclear

Q6. What human relevance evidence is provided? (e.g. patient samples, transcriptomics, genetics, biomarkers, none)

Q7. Is the mechanism disease-modifying or primarily symptomatic? Options: Disease-modifying / Symptomatic / Both / Unclear

Q8. Which cell types or tissues are primarily implicated? (e.g. keratinocytes, T cells, sensory neurons, microbiome, fibroblasts)

Q9. What therapeutic modality is proposed or implied? (e.g. small molecule, antibody, peptide, RNA, gene therapy)

Q10. Is there direct pharmacological intervention demonstrated or claimed? Yes (validated) / Yes (conceptual) / No / Unclear

Q11. What is the stage of validation? In vitro / In vivo (animal) / Ex vivo human / Computational only

Q12. Are there lead compounds, sequences, or constructs described? Yes (specific) / Yes (general) / No

Q13. Are any delivery or formulation challenges mentioned or implied? (e.g. skin penetration, stability, targeting)

Q14. How does this approach differentiate from existing AD therapies? (e.g. new biology, safer profile, topical delivery, broader efficacy)

Q15. Does this work bypass known AD bottlenecks? (e.g. steroid toxicity, biologic injection burden, JAK safety)

Q16. Is there evidence or claims of superior efficacy, safety, or durability? Yes / Suggested / No / Unclear

Q17. What competing targets or approaches are acknowledged?

Q18. What is the implied asset maturity? Target only / Lead identified / Preclinical candidate / Platform

Q19. Is there explicit or implicit commercial intent? (e.g. patent filing, spin-out, licensing language)

Q20. What next development step is logically required? (e.g. lead optimization, tox, formulation, IND-enabling)

Q21. What are the main scientific or translational risks? (e.g. redundancy, safety, delivery, relevance)

Q22. Overall, how attractive is this as an early drug discovery asset for AD? Low / Medium / High / Very High (+ short justification)

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Analysis: in Excel, filter on novelty type etc.

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Access the Excel file analysis here:

Atopic Dermatitis Research Groups developing new early assets.xlsx

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Combine Analyses in ChatGPT to analyze

Upload:

Publications (400) analysis on early assets
Research Groups (25) analysis on early assets

Ask in ChatGPT:

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I want to find the most promising early stage drugs in development for atopic dermatitis, with strong early validation.

Attached are 2 files, one of 2025 publications analysed on early assets for AD, and one with 25 research groups active on the topic and in column 1 answers to many questions about each group.

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Follow-up question:

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Please produce a ranked table with top 15 assets as you suggest - also include the org developing the asset. Then execute steps 1, 2 and 3 you proposed.

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Access the chat here: https://chatgpt.com/share/6953b08b-8898-800a-b4bf-657cab05ef67

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