Verge Genomics is adding AstraZeneca to its Big Pharma AI collection with a $42 million upfront deal to find new targets for rare neurodegenerative diseases.

Verge Genomics正在向其大型Pharma AI系列中添加AstraZeneca，以4200万美元的前期交易寻找罕见神经退行性疾病的新靶点。

The four-year deal will see the AI-drug discovery biotech work with AstraZeneca’s rare disease wing Alexion. Beyond the upfront fee, Verge will be eligible for $840 million in milestones plus royalties later on. At the same time, Alexion will take an equity position in Verge.

这项为期四年的交易将看到AI药物发现生物技术公司与阿斯利康的罕见病翼Alexion合作。除了预付费之外，Verge稍后将有资格获得8.4亿美元的里程碑和版税。与此同时，Alexion将在Verge占据股权。

AstraZeneca already has a presence in neurodegenerative diseases with candidates in development for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The new pact will reinvigorate the U.K.-based pharma’s pipeline courtesy of Verge’s high-tech AI- and machine-learning-enabled Converge drug discovery engine.

阿斯利康已经在神经退行性疾病中存在，候选药物正在开发用于阿尔茨海默病，帕金森病和肌萎缩侧索硬化症。新的pact将重振英国制药公司的管道，由Verge的高科技AI和机器学习支持的融合药物发现引擎提供。

The platform uses human tissue data sets combined with computational analysis to find drug targets that may have a higher chance of success..

该平台使用人体组织数据集与计算分析相结合，找到可能有更高成功机会的药物目标。。

Verge has already taken one internal ALS program from discovery to the clinic. Other preclinical programs include Parkinson’s, schizophrenia and frontotemporal dementia.

Verge已经从发现到诊所采取了一项内部ALS计划。其他临床前项目包括帕金森病，精神分裂症和额颞叶痴呆。

The biotech inked high-profile deals with Eli Lilly and Merck & Co. in 2021. The two companies contributed to a nearly $100 million fundraising round in December of that year, and both have equity stakes in Verge as well. Lilly has a three-year research program to work on up to four ALS targets, which included $25 million upfront plus $694 million down the line in milestones.

2021年，生物技术着名的高调交易礼来公司和默克公司。当年12月，两家公司为近1亿美元的筹集资金做出了贡献，两家公司也持有Verge的股权。礼来公司有一个为期三年的研究计划，可以实现多达四个ALS目标，其中包括2500万美元的前期资金以及6.94亿美元的里程碑式数据。

That program is in late-stage discovery, according to Verge’s pipeline..

根据Verge的说法，该程序处于后期发现阶段。。

With all those deals, Verge has $67 million in non-dilutive capital and the possibility to tap into $1.5 billion in milestones plus royalties as the programs progress.

通过所有这些交易，Verge拥有6700万美元的非稀释资本，随着计划的进展，有可能利用15亿美元的里程碑和版税。