Generate Biomedicines, Inc.

Cradle provides a scientific AI software platform focused on protein engineering Bayer continues to utilize AI in R&D, reinforcing commitment to modernize and scale its drug discovery and development efforts Bayer and Cradle to jointly work on a machine learning research project to further develop capabilities BERLIN and AMSTERDAM and ZURICH , Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer and Cradle today announced that they have entered a three-year strategic collaboration to deploy Cradle's scientific AI software platform for protein engineering. As part of the collaboration, Bayer will integrate the generative AI platform into existing R&D workflows to enhance lead generation and optimization across its therapeutic antibody pipeline. Bayer selected Cradle's platform to bring higher-quality molecules into clinical development faster by reducing the number of optimization cycles, improving molecular potency, safety and manufacturability, and increasing probability of technical success as Bayer expands to more demanding modes of action. "We believe AI-driven molecule design, discovery and optimization will be a key accelerator of our productivity moving forward," said Anastasia Hager, Ph.D., Global Head of Drug Discovery Sciences at Bayer's Pharmaceuticals Division. "Cradle's platform provides us with scalable scientist-centric solutions to maximize the opportunities in our biologics portfolio and potentially deliver faster, more effective medicines to patients." "Bayer's decision reflects a broader shift we're seeing: leading drug discovery organizations want AI that scales across portfolios, formats, and teams without requiring every scientist to become an ML expert or limiting AI's impact to asset-based deals," said Stef van Grieken, Co-founder and CEO of Cradle. "Cradle brings enterprise-grade, lab-in-the-loop AI into the hands of the expert scientists working daily to design new molecules and treat diseases, helping reduce iterations while improving potency, developability, and manufacturability. We're excited to work with Bayer to operationalize AI at scale and translate it into faster, higher-quality candidates for the clinic." Under the agreement, Cradle will provide Bayer's antibody scientists with full access to its scientific AI software platform supporting a lab-in-the-loop approach, streamlined design-test-learn cycles, and coordinated execution across laboratory and external partners. Following a successful proof of concept, Bayer selected Cradle as its best suited partner from among several vendors. The collaboration builds on the internal strengths of Bayer in antibody design, synthesis and machine learning, complementing with Cradle's deep expertise in scalable software development. Bayer and Cradle will also jointly work on a machine learning research project aimed at extending these capabilities even further. About Cradle Cradle's mission is to make engineering biology easier, quicker and more cost-effective. Its enterprise-grade AI software platform currently serves 6 out of the top 25 global pharma companies, and is used across over 50 R&D programs. With Cradle, scientists can engineer better proteins, faster and more successfully, speeding up the development cycle of new therapeutics and bio-based products such as, antibodies, enzymes, and bio-based materials by up to 12x. Cradle is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Zurich, Switzerland and the United States with a team of machine learning and biotech research specialists with experience at many of the world's leading technology and biotech companies, including Google, Novartis, Meta, Zymergen, Uber, Deepmind and Generate Biomedicines. Cradle is backed by IVP as well as Index Ventures and Kindred Capital. For more information, visit cradle.bio . About Bayer Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, "Health for all, Hunger for none," the company's products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2024, the Group employed around 93,000 people and had sales of 46.6 billion euros. R&D expenses amounted to 6.2 billion euros. For more information, go to . Find more information at Follow us on Facebook: Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at . The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Cradle

Repertoire and Pioneering Medicines, Flagship's in-house drug development unit, will jointly conduct research activities leveraging Repertoire's DECODE™ platform CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Flagship Pioneering, a scientific innovation engine for transformative platforms and products, today announced a research program under its strategic collaboration with Pfizer whereby Flagship-founded Repertoire ® Immune Medicines will identify and optimize TCR bispecifics for metastatic prostate cancer. Pioneering Medicines, Flagship's in house drug discovery and development unit, is responsible for leading the strategic partnership with Pfizer, including driving the exploration process to rapidly surface potential drug development programs built on Flagship's diverse bioplatforms and modalities. The Repertoire agreement is the eighth program initiated under Flagship's strategic partnership with Pfizer announced in July 2023. "Repertoire's DECODE platform uniquely maps the entire immune synapse, presenting enormous uncharted potential to discover new antigens capable of activating the immune system to fight cancer, and when coupled with Repertoire's immune medicine engineering technologies and capabilities, places us in a strong position to generate targeted medicines to engage them," said Torben Straight Nissen, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of Repertoire and Executive Partner at Flagship Pioneering. "Guided by Pfizer's drug development expertise in oncology, we will apply our platform to uncover new potential T-cell targeted medicines." As many as one in five men with prostate cancer progress to metastatic disease with many going on to develop resistance to successive lines of therapy. T cell receptor (TCR) bispecifics have emerged as a promising immunotherapy with the potential to overcome several barriers associated with disease progression. The aim of the research program is to identify and develop an early optimized TCR bispecific lead that could provide durable disease control and reduced toxicity. "This research program with Repertoire demonstrates both the continued momentum in our strategic alliance with Pfizer and the breadth of novel modalities our Flagship companies offer as a supply chain of potential therapeutic innovation," said Paul Biondi, Flagship Pioneering Managing Partner. "We have now collaborated on eight programs across multiple modalities and five therapeutic areas in our shared commitment with Pfizer to co-create a pipeline of novel candidates that have a potential to become differentiated medicines with greater precision, speed, and scale for the patients who need them most." About Flagship Pioneering and Pioneering Medicines Flagship Pioneering invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health, sustainability and beyond. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated and fostered more than 100 scientific ventures, operating with $14 billion of assets under its direction as of its latest capital raise, announced in July 2024. The current Flagship ecosystem comprises more than 40 companies, including Foghorn Therapeutics, Generate Biomedicines, Inari, Indigo Agriculture, Lila Sciences, Moderna, Sana Biotechnology, Tessera Therapeutics and Valo Health. Pioneering Medicines, Flagship Pioneering's in house drug development unit, is dedicated to conceiving and developing a broad portfolio of life-changing treatments for patients built from Flagship's innovative platforms. Harnessing the drug development expertise of its team together with the power of Flagship's multiple scientific platforms, Pioneering Medicines explores and identifies new product concepts which are then advanced jointly with Flagship's bioplatform companies. Within Flagship's Innovation Supply Chain partnerships, Pioneering Medicines works with external collaborators to apply its unique approach to partners' R&D priorities. These partnerships are highly co-creative strategic alliances that accelerate therapeutic innovation by bringing together partners spanning the full spectrum of drug discovery, development, and production. About Repertoire® Immune Medicines Repertoire Immune Medicines is discovering the unique immune codes that determine how we maintain health and respond to disease. Repertoire's proprietary DECODE™ platform uniquely elucidates the entire immune synapse, providing a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between T cell receptors and their cognate antigenic epitopes. Repertoire is translating these insights into new and potentially transformative T cell-targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Repertoire was founded in 2019 by Flagship Pioneering. Its team operates from sites in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Zurich. To learn more about Repertoire, please visit our website: and follow us on LinkedIn and X. Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Flagship Pioneering 21% more press release views with Request a Demo

Swiss biotech Windward Bio is picking up a second drug candidate from a China biotech this year, seeking to bring multiple medicines to market for respiratory and dermatology conditions. Windward is paying up to $700 million to gain access to a TSLP and IL-13 bispecific antibody from Qyuns Therapeutics. The partners declined to disclose the upfront size of the deal but said Qyuns gets an equity stake in Windward. Qyuns’ other bispecific antibody pact this year with Roche came with $70 million upfront. Taizhou-based Qyuns is in Phase 1 testing with the asset at the heart of Monday’s deal , which marked the third China-to-Europe drug licensing transaction of the day. AstraZeneca and Ipsen also took part in the growing trend. Windward expects to take Qyuns’ injectable, named QX027N/WIN027, into a Phase 1b in patients with respiratory and dermatology conditions once it has collected the Phase 1 data, CEO Luca Santerelli told Endpoints News on Monday. The biotech is betting that WIN027 has potential across asthma, COPD and atopic dermatitis, and it aims to get to quarterly or twice-yearly dosing with the long-acting medicine. “We scoped the whole landscape for potential best-in-disease, best-in-class products that we could get our hands on, and we identified this Qyuns molecule as such a possibility,” Santarelli said. “We came across this molecule maybe 10 months ago, and we worked very hard to get it in.” The agreement marks a quick progression for Windward, which launched with $200 million in January and rights to a TSLP antibody from Kelun and its partner Harbour BioMed. Since then, Windward has brought the asset from that first deal into a Phase 2 trial in asthma patients. The drug, dubbed WIN378, will also be tested in patients with COPD next year, Santarelli said. Windward plans to file WIN378 for regulatory approval in asthma by 2031 and COPD by 2032, if all goes to plan, the CEO said. They’ll also look for a commercialization partner for that treatment. Santarelli declined to disclose Windward’s runway but said the 30-employee startup doesn’t need a capital injection at the moment. The biotech expects eight clinical readouts over the next two and a half years, and those data drops can drum up investor intrigue for future financings, he said. Its financial backers include OrbiMed, Novo Holdings and Qiming. The Windward executive team comprises the former C-suite of VectivBio. Santarelli sold that gastrointestinal biotech to Ironwood Pharmaceuticals for $1 billion in 2023. Ironwood had expected to get FDA approval for the main drug from that acquisition, but ran into a regulatory setback in April and now anticipates starting a confirmatory trial next year. Windward will have to compete with some large pharmaceutical companies and small biotechs in the TSLP and TSLPxIL-13 bispecific landscape. Amgen and AstraZeneca market a monthly TSLP biologic called Tezspire. Tezspire sales jumped 40% year over year to $377 million in the third quarter, Amgen said last month. Meanwhile, GSK paid $1 billion upfront for Aiolos Bio in January 2024. Generate:Biomedicines is slated to enter Phase 3 and Upstream Bio has also presented mid-stage data . Multiple drugmakers are also attempting to take a TSLPx-IL-13 bispecific onto the market. Sanofi’s lunsekimig is in Phase 3 in COPD, and Johnson & Johnson snagged an asset in this area as part of its $850 million Proteologix acquisition in 2024. Santarelli said blocking TSLP should have the “biggest effect size” for respiratory diseases. By adding IL-13, “it adds certain aspects to the respiratory biology.” The target is thought to contribute to the formation of mucus plaque in the lungs of COPD and asthma patients, he added. Beyond the two China-derived assets, Windward is also working on an internally discovered bispecific that goes after less-validated targets, Santarelli said. “We’re committed to continue to grow the company,” the CEO said. “We’re not stopping at three molecules.”