AstraZeneca partners with insitro in $1.5B AI drug discovery deal

AstraZeneca has entered into a multi-year collaboration with California-based biotechnology company insitro to utilize artificial intelligence in the discovery of treatments for complex diseases. The deal has a potential total value of approximately $1.5 billion, including an initial $40 million upfront payment to insitro and up to $1.46 billion in milestone payments and royalties.

The partnership focuses on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a severe liver disease, and various cardiomyopathies affecting the heart muscle. To address the biological complexities of these conditions, insitro will employ its ‘Virtual Human’ platform. This technology integrates machine learning with data from laboratory-grown cell models to identify the specific biological mechanisms and therapeutic targets driving these diseases.

Under the terms of the agreement, insitro will manage the research from the initial discovery phase through the selection of potential drug candidates. AstraZeneca will subsequently fund and conduct the clinical trials required to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the identified treatments.