EQRx and AbCellera Announce Collaboration to Accelerate the Advancement of New Innovative Medicines

EQRx, a company committed to developing and delivering important new medicines at radically lower prices, and AbCellera, a technology company with a centralized operating system for next-generation antibody discovery, announced a collaboration agreement for the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies. The collaboration will leverage AbCellera’s AI-powered antibody discovery technology to search and analyze natural immune responses to identify novel antibody drug candidates for multiple targets. The partnership, which spans several therapeutic areas, will help to rapidly expand EQRx’s early-stage pipeline of novel medicines. The deal also includes the option for additional investment from AbCellera at progressive stages of preclinical development, clinical development, and commercialization in exchange for an increased share of product sales. The initial programs will focus on targets in oncology and immunology.

“This collaboration with AbCellera represents another important step to continue to expand our portfolio as we seek to lead the way in the future of affordable, accessible and high-impact medicines,” said Carlos Garcia-Echeverria, Ph.D., chief of Rx creation at EQRx. “AbCellera’s operating system for antibody discovery addresses each step in the process to dramatically improve the cycle time, cost, and probability of success, and we look forward to working together to advance unique clinical candidates against key disease targets.”

“AbCellera exists to create value by connecting technology with innovation of all kinds – innovation in biology, in new drug modalities, and in new commercial models. We’re proud to partner with EQRx on their bold mission to reimagine drug development and bring medicines to patients faster and at lower cost,” said Carl Hansen, Ph.D., CEO of AbCellera. “This partnership is yet another example of how we can apply our business model, creating greater value and alignment through deals that include the option to invest in programs.”