Ono Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd, a Japan-based pharmaceutical company, announced on Tuesday that it has entered a research collaboration agreement with US-based InveniAI LLC.

The contract has been signed to identify novel therapeutic targets by leveraging InveniAI's artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

InveniAI will identify novel therapeutic targets in multiple diseases specified by Ono by leveraging InveniAI's AlphaMeld and ChatAlphaMeld, its AI drug discovery platforms including cutting-edge technologies, such as powerful AI and ML algorithms and Generative AI tools, and propose drug discovery hypotheses for optimisation. Ono will conduct validation studies to confirm the hypotheses for multiple therapeutic target candidates identified based on InveniAI's drug discovery hypotheses. Ono will retain exclusive rights to develop and commercialise drug candidates generated through this collaboration worldwide.

Toichi Takino, Ono senior executive officer and executive director, Discovery & Research, said: "We appreciate InveniAI's proprietary AI and ML technologies to identify drug discovery mechanisms utilising comprehensively enormous amounts of data for the creation of innovative drugs. Through this collaboration, the efficiency of drug discovery research will be greatly improved, and we hope to provide innovative therapeutic options to patients worldwide."