Superluminal Medicines Partners with Eli Lilly to Develop Small Molecule Therapies for Cardiometabolic Diseases and Obesity

Superluminal Medicines has partnered with Eli Lilly to develop small molecule therapeutics targeting undisclosed GPCR targets for cardiometabolic diseases and obesity. The collaboration will leverage Superluminal's AI/ML and structural biology platform and Lilly's small molecule development and commercialization expertise. Superluminal is eligible to receive up to $1.3 billion, including upfront and near-term payments, equity investment, and tiered royalties.

Superluminal Medicines, a drug discovery company integrating AI/ML, protein dynamics, and structural biology, has announced a strategic collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company. The partnership aims to develop small molecule therapeutics targeting undisclosed G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) relevant to cardiometabolic diseases and obesity [1].

Under the terms of the agreement, Superluminal will apply its proprietary platform to discover and optimize small-molecule therapeutics for the specified GPCR targets. Eli Lilly will receive exclusive rights to develop and commercialize compounds arising from the collaboration after Superluminal delivers development candidates that meet predefined criteria. The collaboration is expected to yield up to $1.3 billion for Superluminal, including upfront and near-term payments, an equity investment, development and commercial milestones, and tiered royalties on net sales [1].

Superluminal's platform integrates deep structural biology, machine learning, and proprietary pharmacokinetic and toxicology prediction tools to accelerate the discovery of candidate-ready small molecules. The company's focus on GPCRs, a historically challenging target class, positions it to deliver high-quality development candidates for cardiometabolic diseases and obesity [1].

The collaboration comes at a critical time for Superluminal, as it begins to advance its internal drug candidate targeting rare genetic forms of obesity and hypothalamic obesity. The company is committed to bringing safe, efficacious, and novel treatments to patients affected by these challenging conditions [1].

Superluminal is headquartered in Lilly Gateway Labs, Boston, and is backed by a strong network of investors, including RA Capital Management, Insight Partners, NVentures (NVIDIA's venture capital arm), Catalio Capital Management, Eli Lilly and Company, Gaingels, and Cooley [1].

References:
[1] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/superluminal-medicines-announces-collaboration-with-eli-lilly-and-company-to-advance-small-molecule-therapeutics-for-cardiometabolic-diseases-and-obesity-302529689.html