Lunai Bioworks (NASDAQ: LNAI) Expands NIH-Funded AI Program into Commercial Alcohol Use Disorder Drug Discovery
AI Platform Achieves Key Milestones, Triggering Launch of Alcohol Use Disorder Program
SACRAMENTO, Calif. , Jan. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Lunai Bioworks (NASDAQ:LNAI), an AI-powered drug discovery and biodefense company, today announced it has completed a key commercial milestone under its NIH STTR-supported initiative, generating high-resolution, multidimensional behavioral signatures of ethanol exposure and alcohol withdrawal. Using high-throughput vertebrate screening, the company identified distinct, reproducible neurobehavioral phenotypes that are only partially addressed by currently approved therapies, highlighting previously underexplored biological mechanisms with strong translational potential. Based on these results, the company has initiated a new commercial drug discovery program targeting Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), a condition affecting approximately 30 million individuals in the U.S. alone, with over 95% receiving no effective pharmacologic treatment.
Lunai's AUD program is designed to advance differentiated, mechanism-informed therapeutic candidates toward clinical translation, while remaining strategically positioned for partnerships, licensing, and non-dilutive funding opportunities. With scalable screening infrastructure now operational, the company believes the program can rapidly progress toward candidate nomination and downstream development.
"These results underscore both the magnitude of unmet need in Alcohol Use Disorder and the commercial opportunity for biologically grounded, precision therapies," said David Weinstein, CEO of Lunai Bioworks. "Our strategy is to build high-value, partner-ready programs that leverage our platform to address large, underpenetrated CNS markets."
The program is supported by a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is being conducted in collaboration with Dr. Calum MacRae, Vice Chair, Scientific Innovation at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Alcohol Use Disorder represents one of the largest and most underserved markets in neuropsychiatry. Excessive alcohol use is estimated to cost the U.S. economy approximately $250 billion annually, contributes to over 200 disease states, and is the leading global risk factor for mortality among adults aged 15–49. Despite this burden, fewer than 5% of individuals with AUD are treated by a healthcare professional, reflecting both therapeutic limitations and biological heterogeneity.
"Alcohol Use Disorder is not a single disease but a spectrum of biologically distinct states," said Dr. Calum MacRae. "This work demonstrates that high-resolution behavioral phenotyping can reveal mechanistic signals that conventional approaches miss, creating a rational foundation for precision therapeutic development."
About Lunai Bioworks
Lunai Bioworks (NASDAQ:LNAI) is an AI-powered drug discovery and biodefense company pioneering safe and responsible generative biology. With proprietary neurotoxicity datasets, advanced machine learning, and a focus on dual-use risk management, Lunai is redefining how artificial intelligence can accelerate therapeutic innovation while safeguarding society from emerging threats.
For more, visit https://lunaibioworks.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding research progress, therapeutic development, market opportunity, and partnership potential. Actual results may differ materially due to risks and uncertainties, including scientific, regulatory, and financial factors.
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SOURCE Lunai Bioworks Inc.