Empirico Inc. (“Empirico”) announced today that they have entered into a strategic multi-target discovery collaboration. Through each company’s proprietary technologies, the multi-target collaboration leverages hyper-scale datasets, machine learning, and advanced computation to both identify high-value, genetically-validated drug targets and discover novel therapeutic antibodies. Empirico will use its Precision Insights Platform, a human genetics-focused discovery platform, to select up to five therapeutic targets. AbCellera will use its AI-powered antibody discovery technology to search and analyze natural immune responses to identify antibodies with the desired therapeutic properties against the selected targets.
Under the terms of the agreement, Empirico will have the rights to develop and commercialize novel antibodies resulting from the collaboration. AbCellera will receive research payments and is eligible to receive downstream clinical and commercial milestone payments and royalties on net sales of products from Empirico.
“One of the biggest challenges in drug development is the lack of translation between preclinical models and human disease. Empirico’s platform seeks to overcome this hurdle by uncovering causal relationships between human genetic variation and clinical outcomes to discover and validate targets,” said Carl Hansen, Ph.D., CEO and President of AbCellera. “We are excited to partner with Empirico and serve as its operating system for developing new antibody-based therapies against genetically-validated targets.”
“Using our Precision Insights Platform, Empirico has discovered multiple genetically-validated targets for diseases with unmet medical need, several of which are amenable to modulation with therapeutic antibodies,” said Omri Gottesman, M.D., CEO and President of Empirico. “For these and future programs, our partnership with AbCellera empowers and enables us to rapidly translate therapeutic insights from human genetics into potential new medicines for patients in need.”
