LONDON, July 30, 2026
Relation Therapeutics has announced an expanded strategic collaboration with GSK that will accelerate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and large-scale human cellular perturbation datasets to advance the discovery of novel therapeutic targets. Under the agreement, Relation is eligible to receive up to $110 million in upfront and success-based milestone payments. The collaboration will combine advanced human cellular disease models, integrated laboratory automation, multi-omics technologies, and AI-driven computational biology to generate high-quality datasets capable of deepening scientific understanding of disease mechanisms. These datasets will be used to train and enhance MORGAN, Relation’s proprietary cellular biology foundation model, strengthening the identification of promising therapeutic targets and supporting the development of future medicines. The partnership represents another major investment by the pharmaceutical industry in AI-powered drug discovery, where biological data and foundation models are increasingly becoming essential tools for improving research efficiency and accelerating innovation.
Strategic Partnership Strengthens AI-Powered Drug Discovery
The expanded collaboration is designed to generate large-scale human cellular perturbation datasets that capture how human cells respond to both genetic and pharmacological interventions. By leveraging advanced experimental systems, automated workflows, and multi-omics technologies, Relation will create high-quality, time-resolved datasets that provide deeper insights into disease biology. These comprehensive biological datasets are expected to reveal previously unknown cellular mechanisms while improving confidence in identifying new therapeutic targets across multiple disease areas. The collaboration highlights a growing trend among pharmaceutical companies to combine biology-first research with artificial intelligence to accelerate drug discovery, reduce development timelines, and improve the probability of clinical success. Through the agreement, GSK gains access to advanced experimental capabilities while Relation further expands the application of its AI-driven discovery platform across complex human diseases.
MORGAN Foundation Model to Unlock New Therapeutic Opportunities
A key component of the collaboration is the continued development of MORGAN (Multi-Omic Regulatory Genomics using Artificial Neural Networks), Relation’s proprietary foundation model designed to predict cellular responses across different disease contexts. The newly generated perturbation datasets will significantly enhance MORGAN’s learning capabilities by integrating large-scale experimental evidence into AI-driven biological modeling. The combination of physiologically relevant human disease systems, automated data generation, and advanced computational analysis will enable researchers to better understand biological pathways, identify disease-driving mechanisms, and prioritize promising therapeutic targets for future drug development. According to Relation, richer biological data combined with increasingly sophisticated AI models will provide researchers with greater confidence when selecting potential drug targets, ultimately improving the efficiency of pharmaceutical research and supporting the discovery of innovative treatments for patients.
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Advancing the Future of Pharmaceutical Research
The collaboration underscores the rapidly expanding role of artificial intelligence, foundation models, and multi-omics technologies in transforming pharmaceutical research and development. By combining innovative experimental biology with powerful computational platforms, Relation and GSK aim to build valuable biological resources capable of supporting future therapeutic discovery across immunology, metabolic disorders, bone disease, and other complex conditions. The agreement also reinforces a shared commitment to accelerating precision medicine through scalable biological data generation and AI-enabled scientific innovation. As pharmaceutical companies continue investing in next-generation research technologies, collaborations like this are expected to reshape the future of drug discovery by improving target identification, enhancing translational research, and delivering more effective therapies to patients worldwide.
Source: Relation Therapeutics, GSK press release
