Novartis and Generate:Biomedicines have announced a multi-target collaboration to discover and develop protein therapeutics across multiple disease areas.

The collaboration leverages Generate’s generative AI platform, ​‘The Generate Platform’, to create potentially first- and best-in-class molecules through AI-based optimisation and de novo generation.

The collaboration will combine The Generate Platform, which integrates machine learning with high-throughput experimental validation, with Novartis’ expertise and capabilities in target biology, biologics development, and clinical development.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Generate to explore the promise of generative AI in enhancing and accelerating the discovery of next-generation biologics,” said Fiona Marshall, President of Biomedical Research at Novartis. ​“This collaboration offers an opportunity to leverage the unique strengths of our respective companies, from target biology and biologics discovery to machine learning/​AI and clinical development, in order to bring forward new medicines with transformative potential for patients.”

Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, Generate will receive a total upfront payment of $65 million in cash from Novartis, which includes $15 million for the purchase of equity in Generate.

Generate is also eligible to receive more than $1 billion in performance-based milestone payments, in addition to tiered royalties up to low double-digits.

“Partnering with a world-leading drug discovery and development organisation like Novartis allows us to broaden the use of our cutting-edge generative biology platform to tackle even more areas of unmet medical need,” said Mike Nally, Chief Executive Officer of Generate:Biomedicines. ​“We look forward to working closely with the team at Novartis to continue to demonstrate the transformative potential of programming biology to create better medicines for patients, faster.”

Diana Spencer, Senior Digital Content Editor, DDW