Insilico Medicine Enters into Collaboration with Qilu Pharmaceutical to Advance Cardiometabolic Drug Development
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Insilico Medicine and Qilu Pharmaceutical Group, along with its subsidiary Shanghai Qilu Pharmaceutical Research Center, have entered into a strategic partnership to develop new treatments for cardiometabolic diseases.
The collaboration will focus on the discovery of small-molecule inhibitors using Insilico’s artificial intelligence–based drug discovery platform.
Under the agreement, Insilico will lead the design and optimisation of novel drug candidates through its proprietary AI technologies. Qilu Pharmaceutical will take responsibility for further development, regulatory activities and commercialisation. The total deal value is close to $120 million and includes development and commercial milestones, as well as single-digit royalties on future net sales.
The partnership builds on an existing relationship between the two companies and reflects a broader move towards deeper integration of artificial intelligence in pharmaceutical research and development. By combining AI-driven drug design with established development and manufacturing capabilities, the collaboration aims to address unmet needs in cardiometabolic disease management.
Insilico Medicine continues to expand its business across drug discovery, software licensing and research collaborations. The company has secured multiple licensing and partnership agreements with global pharmaceutical firms and has also completed several pipeline out-licensing deals with significant total transaction values.
Insilico began applying generative AI to molecular design in 2016 and has since expanded its AI platform to cover biology, chemistry and drug development. Using this approach, the company has nominated multiple preclinical and development candidates in recent years, with its most advanced programme reporting positive Phase IIa clinical results.
This collaboration with Qilu Pharmaceutical is expected to further accelerate the development of innovative cardiometabolic therapies.
Source: insilico.com
