German pharmaceutical company Merck (NYSE: MRK) has announced two separate strategic collaborations with UK-based artificial intelligence-driven precision drug design companies BenevolentAI (AMS: BAI) and Exscientia (NASDAQ: EXAI). These partnerships aim to discover potential first-in-class and best-in-class small-molecule therapies in the fields of oncology, neurology, and immunology.
Terms of Collaboration and Financials
Under the terms of the agreements, Merck will provide each company with an upfront payment in the low double-digit million USD range. Following this initial investment, Merck will select promising drug candidates for further development. BenevolentAI and Exscientia will be eligible for milestone payments and tiered royalties based on the success of the drug development programs.
Implications for Drug Discovery
These collaborations underscore Merck’s commitment to leveraging AI and precision drug design to accelerate the discovery of novel therapies. By combining the expertise of BenevolentAI and Exscientia in AI-driven drug design with Merck’s pharmaceutical development capabilities, the partnerships aim to enhance the pipeline of innovative treatments for complex diseases in oncology, neurology, and immunology.-Fineline Info & Tech
