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- Memorandum of Understanding signed to collaborate on prospective modularized, scalable LNG projects
MILAN, Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MAIRE (MAIRE.MI) announces that TECNIMONT (Integrated E&C Solutions) and Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, have signed a non-exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore cooperation opportunities on prospective modularized, scalable liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects worldwide.
Under the MoU, the two companies will jointly evaluate participation in some future LNG tenders that incorporate Baker Hughes' NMBL™ LNG modular solution for liquefaction projects. The agreement provides a structured framework to assess project requirements, scopes of work, and determine the most suitable cooperation model.
This coordinated approach to provide next‑generation LNG solutions builds on TECNIMONT's long‑standing expertise in executing complex EPC projects across the energy value chain and Baker Hughes's advanced solutions for gas liquefaction and power generation.
In a global context where LNG continues to play a central role in the energy scenario, displacing coal and providing a lower carbon energy source, modular and scalable solutions are expected to become increasingly important, providing flexibility and faster time to market. The collaboration aims to respond to growing demand for flexible, efficient, and lower‑carbon LNG infrastructure that supports both energy security and decarbonization pathways.
Alessandro Bernini, CEO of MAIRE, commented: "This agreement represents another important step in our strategy to support the evolution of global gas value chains with high‑efficiency, modular solutions. By combining Tecnimont's EPC leadership with Baker Hughes' cutting‑edge liquefaction solutions, we are positioning ourselves to meet growing demand for flexible LNG capacity that supports security of supply and a more sustainable energy system".
MAIRE S.p.A. is a leading technology and engineering group focused on advancing the Energy Transition. We provide Integrated E&C Solutions for the downstream market and Sustainable Technology Solutions through three business lines: Sustainable Fertilizers & Nitrogen-Based Fuels, Low-Carbon Energy Vectors, and Circular Solutions. With operations across 50 countries, MAIRE employs approximately 10,500 people, supported by around 50,000 professionals involved in its projects worldwide. MAIRE is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (ticker "MAIRE"). For further information: www.groupmaire.com.
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TECNIMONT (MAIRE) AND BAKER HUGHES TO COLLABORATE ON LNG INITIATIVES GLOBALLY
HANGZHOU, China, April 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A team led by principal investigators Bobo Dang and Ting Zhou at Westlake University/Westlake Laboratory reported in Science a high-throughput platform for engineering fast-acting covalent protein therapeutics. Their work, titled "A high-throughput selection system for fast-acting covalent protein drugs," opens new avenues for next-generation biologics.
Covalent small-molecule drugs have shown great success in cancer therapy by forming irreversible bonds with their targets. This has inspired efforts to extend covalent strategies to protein therapeutics, especially engineered miniproteins. However, their development is limited by a kinetic mismatch: Miniproteins are rapidly cleared in vivo, whereas covalent bond formation is typically slow. In addition, high-throughput platforms for systematically optimizing covalent protein reactivity have been lacking.
To address this challenge, the researchers proposed that precise spatial positioning of chemical warheads within protein scaffolds could enable molecular preorganization, thereby accelerating covalent bond formation without increasing intrinsic reactivity (Fig. 1).
Based on this concept, the team developed a high-throughput platform that combines yeast surface display with chemoselective protein modification to screen diverse crosslinkers and millions of protein variants. By optimizing warhead placement and the local chemical environment, the platform enables rapid and irreversible target engagement.
Using this platform, the researchers developed a covalent antagonist targeting PD-L1, termed IB101. Structural analysis revealed that IB101 forms a defined binding pocket that precisely positions the warhead in a reactive conformation, greatly accelerating covalent bond formation. Functionally, IB101 effectively blocks the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint pathway and demonstrates strong antitumor activity in mouse models. Notably, despite its short in vivo half-life, IB101 achieves durable target engagement and tumor suppression, outperforming conventional antibody-based therapies under comparable conditions.
The platform was further applied to cytokine engineering, leading to the development of a covalent IL-18 variant, IB201. This engineered cytokine rapidly forms a covalent interaction with its receptor, enhancing signaling strength and duration. In vivo studies showed that IB201 induces potent antitumor immune responses without detectable systemic toxicity. These results highlight the potential of covalent engineering to improve the efficacy and safety of cytokine-based therapies.
Beyond immunotherapy targets, the platform was also applied to develop a covalent inhibitor targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2. This molecule achieves durable viral neutralization, demonstrating the versatility of the approach across different therapeutic modalities.
This study establishes a general strategy for engineering fast-acting covalent protein therapeutics. By enabling covalent bond formation on timescales compatible with rapid in vivo clearance, the platform overcomes a fundamental limitation in the field.
These findings provide a new framework for designing biologics with both rapid kinetics and sustained target engagement, with broad implications for cancer immunotherapy, antiviral therapy, and beyond.
Media Contact:
Chi Zhang
media@westlake.edu.cn
+86-15659837873
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Fast-Acting Covalent Protein Drugs From a New High-Throughput Platform
