Pfizer has extended its multi-year partnership with CytoReason to use CytoReason’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology for Pfizer’s drug development programs.
Pfizer will make a $20 million equity investment, have options to license CytoReason’s platform and disease models, and fund supplementary project support. This deal which has the potential to be worth up to $110 million over the next five years.
Since the collaboration launched in 2019, Pfizer has used CytoReason’s biological models in its research to enhance the understanding of the immune system, as it develops drugs for immune-mediated and immuno-oncology diseases. CytoReason’s platform has reportedly provided Pfizer with insights in research and development programs across over 20 diseases.
The new research agreement and investment will support the development of additional disease models and the creation of high-resolution models, spanning across a number of therapeutic areas.
Mikael Dolsten, Chief Scientific Officer and President at Pfizer said: “CytoReason’s biological data allows us to gain deeper insight into the best drug development pathways for patients, resulting in more informed decisions that are timely and cost-effective.”
David Harel, CEO and Co-founder of CytoReason said: “This partnership is advancing a significant shift in the biotech industry, and helping drive future R&D for pharmaceutical companies as they continue to use machine learning to develop treatments more efficiently. Transforming complex data into useful actionable insights will potentially provide leading researchers and scientists a roadmap to further develop their drug portfolios.”
