PARIS & LONDON, July 17, 2026
Aqemia, the biotechnology company pioneering physics-based generative artificial intelligence (AI) for drug discovery, has expanded its multi-year research collaboration with global pharmaceutical leader Sanofi to accelerate the development of next-generation small molecule medicines. The collaboration, originally launched in December 2023, has now progressed with the nomination of a new therapeutic target and an additional milestone payment, reinforcing confidence in Aqemia’s proprietary Qemi platform. The partnership combines generative AI, quantum-inspired physics, and pharmaceutical research expertise to discover innovative drug candidates for diseases with significant unmet medical needs. The expansion demonstrates growing industry confidence in AI-driven drug discovery and highlights the increasing role of advanced computational technologies in transforming pharmaceutical research and accelerating the identification of novel therapeutics.
New Therapeutic Target Strengthens Multi-Year AI Collaboration
The latest expansion marks a significant milestone in the strategic alliance between Aqemia and Sanofi, extending the scope of their collaborative research activities. Under the agreement, Aqemia remains eligible to receive up to $140 million in combined upfront and milestone payments across multiple research programs. The collaboration spans the complete early-stage drug discovery process, from identifying promising molecular hits to selecting development candidates suitable for clinical advancement. The nomination of a new therapeutic target reflects Sanofi’s growing confidence in Aqemia’s AI-powered discovery platform and validates the progress achieved through previous collaborative projects. The expanded agreement enables both organizations to continue addressing increasingly complex drug discovery challenges while broadening the number of research programs supported by the partnership.
Generative AI and Quantum Physics Accelerate Drug Discovery
At the core of the collaboration is Qemi, Aqemia’s proprietary physics-based generative AI platform, which combines advanced machine learning with quantum-inspired physics calculations to design novel small molecule drug candidates. Unlike conventional AI drug discovery systems that rely heavily on extensive experimental datasets, Qemi generates much of the scientific data required through proprietary computational physics models, enabling efficient discovery even for first-in-class therapeutic targets with limited existing chemical information. Aqemia works closely with Sanofi’s scientific teams to design optimized molecules, while Sanofi leads laboratory validation, preclinical development, and eventual commercialization. The collaboration now connects multidisciplinary research teams across Paris, London, Boston, and Frankfurt, creating an international scientific network focused on accelerating innovation across multiple therapeutic areas while improving the efficiency and scalability of pharmaceutical research.
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AI Innovation Continues to Transform Pharmaceutical Research
The expanded partnership highlights the growing adoption of artificial intelligence as a transformative technology across the global pharmaceutical industry. Since its founding in 2019, Aqemia has focused on integrating generative AI, computational chemistry, and physics-based molecular modeling to develop innovative therapies addressing critical diseases with high unmet medical needs. By combining advanced computational design with Sanofi’s extensive drug development capabilities, the collaboration seeks to shorten discovery timelines, improve candidate selection, and increase the probability of identifying high-quality therapeutic molecules. The addition of another research target demonstrates the continued success of the collaboration and reinforces confidence in AI-enabled approaches to pharmaceutical innovation. As biotechnology companies increasingly embrace AI-driven drug discovery, collaborations such as this are expected to play a pivotal role in delivering the next generation of precision medicines and accelerating therapeutic breakthroughs for patients worldwide.
Source: Aqemia, Sanofi press release
