Roche Partners with Manifold Bio to Develop AI-Driven Brain Drug Delivery Technology

Roche, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, has announced a significant collaboration with Manifold Bio, a Boston-based startup specializing in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery. The partnership aims to overcome one of the most persistent challenges in neuroscience: delivering drugs across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

Groundbreaking Deal for Brain Drug Development

Roche has committed $55 million upfront to gain access to Manifold Bio's innovative drug discovery platform. The technology uses AI to identify biological pathways that can direct therapies to specific tissues, with a focus on creating "shuttles" capable of crossing the BBB. This collaboration could potentially unlock over $2 billion in additional payments for Manifold Bio if certain research, development, and sales milestones are met.

Gleb Kuznetsov, CEO and co-founder of Manifold Bio, emphasized the importance of this breakthrough: "It's always felt like going into clinical trials with your hands tied behind your back, because you never could really engineer a molecule that could successfully, fully get into the brain. That's why there's been such a strong push into these brain-shuttling technologies."

AI-Driven Approach to Neuroscience

Manifold Bio's platform stands out for its in vivo evaluation of shuttles, which the company argues will significantly accelerate the translation of basic research into actual drugs. This approach contrasts with older methods that rely on in vitro testing.

Steve Holtzman, Manifold's executive chairman, believes this technology will lead to more effective medicines at lower, safer doses that can be administered more conveniently. While specific disease targets remain undisclosed, Kuznetsov hinted at addressing "massive" diseases, many of which are associated with aging.

Roche's Strategic Move in Neuroscience

For Roche, this partnership could prove particularly valuable given its significant presence in neuroscience research. The company currently has 21 neuroscience programs in human trials, focusing on rare illnesses, multiple sclerosis, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's.

Boris Zaïtra, Roche's head of corporate business development, expressed excitement about the deal's potential to "tackle some of the most important neurological and neurodegenerative diseases." This move aligns with Roche's recent trend of collaborations and licensing agreements in the high-risk, high-reward field of neuroscience.

The Manifold Bio partnership adds to Roche's growing portfolio of AI-focused collaborations, including deals with Dyno Therapeutics for gene therapies and with chipmaker Nvidia. These strategic partnerships underscore Roche's commitment to leveraging AI in drug discovery and development.