AstraZeneca announces AI system collaboration with insitro
AstraZeneca PLC on Thursday announced its entry into a strategic drug discovery collaboration and licensing agreement with insitro.
The Cambridge, England-based pharmaceuticals firm described insitro as "a leading artificial intelligence (AI) therapeutics company."
AstraZeneca said that the companies will use advanced AI systems to identify novel drug targets and advance the design of new therapeutics for people with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis and cardiomyopathies. "These are complex heterogeneous diseases where there is significant unmet need," it noted.
insitro, which is based in San Francisco, will use its Virtual Human AI platform to identify causal disease biology across both indications and advance AstraZeneca-nominated targets from discovery through to development candidate, Astra continued.
AstraZeneca, meanwhile, said it will use its clinical development and regulatory expertise to advance novel medicines that address the underlying drivers of disease.
It said insitro will receive an upfront payment of USD40 million, and is also eligible for up to approximately USD1.46 billion in potential development and commercial milestones. insitro will also be eligible for potential single-digit royalties based on global commercial sales. Astra, meanwhile, "will have exclusive worldwide rights to advance selected programmes identified under the collaboration."
"We know that disease biology is incredibly complex, and one of the most critical decisions in R&D is selecting the right target," commented Sharon Barr, Astra's executive vice president and head of BioPharmaceuticals R&D. "This strategic collaboration underscores our commitment to maximising the potential of cutting-edge AI to tackle the root cause of disease.
"Partnering with insitro, we will use advanced AI to identify the biological drivers of disease to support the rapid discovery of high-quality novel targets, advancing our ambition to deliver the next generation of medicines to patients faster."
AstraZeneca shares were up 2.1% at 12,559.47 pence on Thursday around noon in London.
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