Berlin Bio Hackathon x Adaptyv: 15-PGDH Binder Design
Design protein binders targeting 15-PGDH, an aging-linked enzyme with no FDA-approved inhibitors for sarcopenia. Co-organized with Nucleate Germany at the Berlin Bio x AI Hackathon.
Overview
- Stage 1Computational Design
Submit your computational protein designs targeting 15-PGDH. Top designs will be selected by a panel of judges based on workflow novelty and spinout potential.
Submissions OpenFeb 27, 2026/
Submissions CloseFeb 28, 2026 - Stage 2Experimental Validation
Top 100 designs across all teams are synthesized and tested in Adaptyv's Foundry, measuring binding affinity to 15-PGDH.
Validation startsMar 7, 2026/
Results releasedMar 28, 2026
- Stage 1Computational Design
Submit your computational protein designs targeting 15-PGDH. Top designs will be selected by a panel of judges based on workflow novelty and spinout potential.
Submissions OpenFeb 27, 2026/
Submissions CloseFeb 28, 2026 - Stage 2Experimental Validation
Top 100 designs across all teams are synthesized and tested in Adaptyv's Foundry, measuring binding affinity to 15-PGDH.
Validation startsMar 7, 2026/
Results releasedMar 28, 2026
About the Target
15-PGDH
PDB: 2GDZ
Sequence
15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) is an NAD+-dependent enzyme that breaks down prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a lipid mediator involved in tissue repair and immune regulation. 15-PGDH activity rises with age, accelerating PGE2 degradation and contributing to age-related decline in muscle, brain, and joint tissue. Researchers at Stanford's Blau Lab identified 15-PGDH as a "gerozyme", which is an enzyme whose increasing activity directly drives aging phenotypes.
In this challenge, co-organized with Nucleate Germany at the Berlin Bio x AI Hackathon, the goal is to design protein binders against 15-PGDH. Inhibiting this enzyme rejuvenates aged muscle stem cells, restores neuromuscular junctions, and repairs joint cartilage in preclinical models. Epirium Bio's small molecule inhibitor MF-300 completed Phase 1 trials in September 2025, but no protein-based therapeutics targeting 15-PGDH are in development. There are zero FDA-approved drugs for sarcopenia, which affects over 50 million elderly people globally.
Designs can target the NAD+ binding pocket (active site inhibition), the homodimer interface (allosteric disruption), or accessible surface epitopes. Maximum sequence length is 250 amino acids.
Stages
Selection
Top 100 designs across all teams are synthesized and tested in Adaptyv's Foundry, measuring binding affinity to 15-PGDH.
Binding Affinity Characterization
All 1000 selected designs in stage 1 will undergo experimental validation to measure their binding affinities (KD)