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§ Private Profile · Santa Cruz, CA, USA
AI-driven drug discovery platform for engineering new treatments.
Unnatural Products develops novel therapeutics by engineering synthetic macrocyclic peptides via a proprietary discovery platform. This platform integrates wet lab techniques with computational chemistry, drawing insights from natural molecular designs. The company's approach enables drug creation capable of traversing biological barriers, expanding treatment options for diseases with previously inaccessible targets.
Founded by UC Santa Cruz alumni Cameron Pye and Joshua Schwochert, both Ph.D.s in chemistry and biochemistry, Unnatural Products emerged from Professor Scott Lokey’s academic laboratory. Their shared intellectual drive, rooted in doctoral research, focused on integrating experimental and computational methods for macrocycle development. This core insight:engineering molecules to cross biological barriers:led directly to the company's formation.
Unnatural Products partners with pharmaceutical companies, such as Merck, to address unmet medical needs in oncology, cardiometabolic, and autoimmune conditions. The company’s vision is to unleash macrocycle drug discovery, fostering innovation to generate the next generation of molecularly targeted therapeutics. This commitment aims to make intractable disease targets treatable, thereby advancing human health.
Unnatural Products has raised $83.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Unnatural Products has raised $83.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Unnatural Products is a Santa Cruz, California-based biotech company founded in 2017 that develops an AI-enhanced discovery platform for synthetic macrocycles—cyclic peptide compounds designed to target "undruggable" proteins inaccessible to traditional small molecules or biologics.[1][2][3] These macrocycles offer high specificity, cell permeability, and oral bioavailability, bridging the gap between injectable biologics and oral small-molecule drugs to address complex targets in oncology, cardiometabolic disorders, and autoimmune diseases.[1][2][3] The company serves the biopharmaceutical industry, enabling partners like Merck to pursue first-in-class oral therapies for hard-to-treat conditions, with early traction from publications in top journals and national recognition.[3][4]
Unnatural Products was co-founded in 2017 by UC Santa Cruz Ph.D. alumni Cameron Pye (chemistry & biochemistry, '17) and Joshua Schwochert (chemistry & biochemistry, '17), both macrocycle pioneers whose doctoral research laid the groundwork for the company's technology.[2][3][5] The idea emerged from recognizing nature's macrocycles—evolved solutions for binding complex extracellular and intracellular targets—and applying synthetic chemistry plus AI to engineer superior versions that overcome limitations of existing drugs.[2][3] Early pivotal moments include seed funding from Artis Ventures, Better Ventures, and Abstract Ventures, rapid platform development leading to partnerships, and a 2025 *Nature* profile validating their "heads-down" progress into national spotlight.[3][5]
Unnatural Products rides the AI-drug discovery wave fused with synthetic biology, targeting the $100B+ "undruggable" protein space where 80-90% of disease-related proteins evade current therapies.[2][6] Timing aligns with surging demand for oral alternatives to injectables amid chronic disease epidemics—oncology and cardiometabolics—bolstered by AI advancements like protein structure prediction and investor enthusiasm (e.g., Orbis Medicines' $94M raise in similar space).[4] Market tailwinds include Big Pharma's push for modalities bridging small molecules and biologics, plus computational tools enabling rapid iteration.[1][4] The company influences the ecosystem by proving Santa Cruz as a biotech hub, inspiring regional innovation, and advancing macrocycles as a validated class via deals like Merck's, paving the way for competitors like Circle Pharma.[3][4]
Unnatural Products is poised to deliver first-in-class oral macrocycle therapies, with Merck partnership advancing oncology candidates and platform expansion into high-need areas like autoimmune and cardiometabolic diseases.[3][4] Trends like AI-biotech convergence, oral biologic mimics, and decentralized hubs will accelerate growth, potentially yielding Phase I trials by 2027-2028 amid $220M+ deal momentum.[4] Their influence may evolve from stealth innovator to ecosystem leader, remixing nature's playbook to make undruggable targets routine—unleashing the medicines nature never made.[2][3]
Unnatural Products has raised $83.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Unnatural Products's investors include Nicholas Shekerdemian, argenx, Droia Ventures, First Spark Ventures, Merck, Prem Tumkosit, ARCH Venture Partners, Artis Ventures (AV), BoxOne Ventures, Merck Global Health Innovation Fund, Paladin Capital Group, Section 32.
Unnatural Products has raised $83.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $45.0M Series B in March 2026.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2026 | $45M Series B | Nicholas Shekerdemian | Argenx, Droia Ventures, First Spark Ventures, Merck | Announced |
| Dec 1, 2023 | $32M Series A | Prem Tumkosit | ARCH Venture Partners, ARTIS Ventures, BoxOne Ventures, Merck Global Health Innovation Fund, Paladin Capital Group, Section 32, Nicholas Shekerdemian, Vertical Venture Partners, Deepak Gupta, First Spark Ventures, Humain Ventures, LongeVC, NOT Boring Capital, The Venture Collective | Announced |
| Sep 1, 2019 | $6M Seed | — | ARCH Venture Partners, ARTIS Ventures, Bold Capital Partners, Paladin Capital Group, Section 32, Vertical Venture Partners, Abstract Ventures, Asset Management Ventures, Better Ventures, Blue Bear Ventures, Rising Tide Fund | Announced |