MOLCURE, a Japanese biotechnology company specializing in AI-driven drug discovery for antibodies and peptides, announced a multi-year strategic research agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim on October 7th. The deal will see Boehringer implement MOLCURE’s platform technology to speed discovery of antibody therapeutics for multiple undisclosed targets. Financial details of the partnership were undisclosed.

According to a company press release, MOLCURE’s proprietary platform is based on a large language model designed for antibody engineering. The partnership will see the companies combine wet-lab data with in silico modeling to enable the design of novel antibody sequences. Per the release, the companies hope that this will accelerate the discovery of antibody candidates relative to traditional processes.

“We are delighted that Boehringer Ingelheim has chosen MOLCURE as a partner in recognition of our AI technology’s ability to deliver strong results from limited data,” said Satoshi Tamaki, CEO and CSO, MOLCURE, in the release. “We are excited to work alongside Boehringer Ingelheim’s scientists to further evolve our innovative AI-driven antibody discovery platform and make a significant contribution to their drug discovery programs. I hope that our partnership will lead to new treatments that improve the prognosis and quality of life for patients around the world.”