Merck KGaA, a science, and technology company, entered two new strategic drug discovery collaborations aimed at harnessing artificial intelligence (AI)-driven design and discovery capabilities, to further advance research efforts. The partnerships with BenevolentAI and Exscientia are expected to generate several novel clinical development drug candidates with first-in-class and best-in-class potential in key therapeutic areas of oncology, neurology and immunology.

Under the terms of the agreements, three potential first-in-class and best-in-class targets have been selected to initiate each partnership with the possibility of identifying and nominating additional targets in the future. The collaborative efforts are focused on advancing small molecule development candidates which Merck KGaA will select for further preclinical and clinical development. Both partners will each receive upfront payments and will be eligible for discovery, development, regulatory and commercial milestones, and royalties on sales.

“With the convergence of science, data, and AI, we’re determined to fast-track the development of new and truly innovative candidates, forging a path to previously unimaginable medical breakthroughs,” said Danny Bar-Zohar, global head of R&D and chief medical officer for the Healthcare business sector of Merck KGaA. “The partnerships with industry-leading AI technology firms BenevolentAI and Exscientia will complement our internal research capabilities and expertise, aligning with our broader strategy to enhance R&D productivity and the output of our pipeline in a sustainable manner.”