Isomorphic Labs, the London-based drug discovery company spun out of Google DeepMind, has announced two landmark collaborations with pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novartis. The separate deals, potentially worth over $3 billion in total, will apply Isomorphic’s advanced AI platform to develop new medicines for a range of challenging diseases.
Under the terms of the agreements, Isomorphic Labs will receive significant upfront payments—approximately $45 million from Eli Lilly and $37.5 million from Novartis. The bulk of the potential value lies in performance-based milestone payments, which could reach up to $1.7 billion from Lilly and $1.2 billion from Novartis, contingent on the successful development and commercialization of new drugs. Isomorphic is also eligible for royalties on any net sales.
The partnerships will leverage Isomorphic’s next-generation AI model, an evolution of the revolutionary AlphaFold system that accurately predicts the 3D structure of proteins. By applying this technology, the company aims to rapidly identify novel drug targets and design new therapeutic molecules, drastically accelerating a process that traditionally takes years and costs billions. The collaboration with Lilly will focus on treatments for multiple undisclosed diseases, while the Novartis partnership will concentrate on identifying targets for degenerative neurological conditions.
Demis Hassabis, CEO of both Google DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs, stated that the deals represent a “seminal moment” for AI-driven drug discovery. These collaborations mark one of the most significant commercial validations of AI’s potential to reshape the pharmaceutical industry, moving the technology from a research tool to a core engine of medical innovation. If successful, the partnerships could pave the way for faster development of life-saving treatments for some of the world’s most intractable health problems.
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