# Deep Apple Therapeutics

> Deep Apple Therapeutics is a South San Francisco biotechnology company that combines cryo-electron microscopy, molecular docking and machine learning to discover small-molecule drugs. Its proprietary Orchard.ai tool builds target-specific virtual chemical libraries. The company has internal programs in inflammation and metabolic disease and a discovery and licensing collaboration with Novo Nordisk on a non-incretin GPCR target.

- **Founded:** 2022
- **Headquarters:** South San Francisco, United States
- **Founders:** Spiros Liras (Founding CEO), Georgios Skiniotis (Scientific co-founder), Brian Shoichet (Scientific co-founder), John Irwin (Scientific co-founder)
- **Products:** Discovery engine, Orchard.ai, DA-003
- **Notable:** Launched publicly with a $52 million Series A commitment from Apple Tree Partners in December 2023., Signed a Novo Nordisk collaboration in June 2025 with potential payments up to $812 million., Disclosed DA-003 at ACS Fall 2026 after a campaign beginning with a virtual screen of more than 560 million molecules; a clinical trial application had been submitted.

## Products & services

- **Discovery engine** — An internal and partner-facing drug discovery process combining ensemble cryo-EM, protein-motion modeling, virtual docking, deep learning and laboratory feedback.
- **Orchard.ai** — A proprietary tool that generates project-specific virtual chemical libraries for molecular docking and hit discovery; it is not advertised as a standalone software product.
- **DA-003** — An oral MRGPRX2 antagonist candidate for mast-cell-driven inflammatory disease; a clinical trial application had been submitted by August 2026.

## Achievements

- Launched publicly with a $52 million Series A commitment from Apple Tree Partners in December 2023.
- Signed a Novo Nordisk collaboration in June 2025 with potential payments up to $812 million.
- Disclosed DA-003 at ACS Fall 2026 after a campaign beginning with a virtual screen of more than 560 million molecules; a clinical trial application had been submitted.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — Craig Stivala disclosed DA-003 at ACS Fall 2026; C&EN reported a submitted clinical trial application and a starting virtual screen exceeding 560 million molecules.
- **2025-06** — Announced Novo Nordisk research collaboration and exclusive worldwide license on a non-incretin GPCR target.
- **2023-12** — Emerged from stealth with a $52 million Series A commitment from Apple Tree Partners.

## Links

- Website: https://deepappletx.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-apple-therapeutics

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/deep-apple-therapeutics
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-29