BenevolentAI Signs Collaboration with Merck

BenevolentAI, a company that is a part of the development of advanced AI to accelerate biopharma discovery, announced on Sept. 20, 2023 that it has signed a strategic collaboration with Merck.

This collaboration will help Merck leverage BenevolentAI’s AI platform capabilities and access a team of interdisciplinary drug discovery scientists to identify and develop innovative compounds through Hit Identification, or Hit ID, to the pre-clinical stage. Further, BenevolentAI will leverage its suite of AI chemistry design tools in combination with its fully equipped wet lab facility in Cambridge, UK, to deliver small molecule drug development candidates into the Merck pipeline, according to the press release.

The terms of the agreement outline that BenevolentAI will be eligible for payments of up to $594 million, which consists of a low double-digit million dollar upfront payment on signing and then potentially discovery, development, and commercial milestones, according to the release. Further, tiered royalties will also be payable on net sales of any commercialized products.

“Our strategic collaboration with Merck exemplifies BenevolentAI’s unique capability to leverage AI to accelerate drug discovery. Our proprietary technology and extensively validated approach of combining AI, molecular biology, medicinal chemistry, and in vivo pharmacology supports the discovery of innovative drug candidates in fewer cycles,” said Joanna Shields, chief executive officer of BenevolentAI, in a press release. “We look forward to working with the Merck team and are excited at the opportunities in our partnership.”

Source: BenevolentAI