The collaboration marks one of the largest commitments of employing AI and automation in pharmaceutical research and development.
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XtalPi announced a collaboration with DoveTree Medicines that is estimated to produce results worth up to $6 billion. The deal grants DoveTree exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize a therapeutics portfolio produced during the partnership, while XtalPi receives $51 million in upfront payment, with eligibility for $49 million in additional near-term payments. XtalPi is also entitled to development & commercial milestones along with tiered royalties, estimated to a total upwards of $5.89 billion.

Technology-driven developments

XtalPi, known for integrating AI and robotics into its drug and material discovery process, is pairing its advanced technological approach with DoveTree’s biological expertise to assist in identifying and validating novel targets containing high therapeutic potential. The collaboration is set on developing first-in-class candidates within oncology, immunology, inflammatory diseases, neurological disorders, and metabolic dysregulation. The partnership will accelerate advancements in DoveTree’s pipeline, focusing on targeting historically challenging mechanisms while also enhancing collaborative capabilities in research and development of emerging modalities.

DoveTree’s founder Dr. Greogory Verdine is credited for the concept of “drugging the undruggable.” Dr. Verdine spearheaded the development of DoveTree’s expansive pipeline of technological platforms, including molecular glue and peptide technology along with finding success applying these in drug development cycles against “undruggable” proteins like RAS, Myc, and β-catenin.

Dr.Verdine discussed the collaboration, saying, "XtalPi's unique platform has the potential to transform the profound uncertainties of drug discovery into quantifiable engineering solutions. Their demonstrated ability to innovate at scale makes them a valuable partner in pursuing drug targets that are beyond conventional methods. By merging DoveTree's biological insights and extensive R&D expertise with XtalPi's powerful platform, we aim to deliver transformative therapies for patients globally."¹

Pairing with DoveTree’s advancing pipeline, XtalPi’s intelligent drug discovery platform contains small molecules, biologics, antibody-drug conjugates, and molecular glues. The capability of this model allocates for effective exploration of parallel drug development against single targets and reveals broader chemical space. XtalPi consistently is integrating quantum physics predictions. AI-driven molecular design, and its robust robotic lab to accelerate the drug discovery process, receiving acceleration through target analysis, molecular generation to affinity prediction, ADMET assessment, and synthesis design.

Dr. Shuhao Wen, chairman of XtalPi, noted the benefits of the collaboration, saying, "Dr. Verdine and DoveTree bring exceptional biological acumen, business vision, and a proven track record of translational success, perfectly complementing our platform's strengths in high-throughput molecule generation, design, and validation. This partnership positions us to accelerate breakthroughs against complex diseases while expanding the frontiers of AI-driven drug discovery. XtalPi remains committed to advancing our core technologies and working closely with leading innovators to help build diverse pipelines of impactful medicines."¹

Sources

1. XtalPi and DoveTree Announce Landmark $6 Billion AI Drug Discovery Collaboration XtalPi August 6, 2025 https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xtalpi-and-dovetree-announce-landmark-6-billion-ai-drug-discovery-collaboration-302523824.html