Merck partners with Infinimmune to develop next-gen antibody drugs using human-first tech.

Merck & Co. has entered a collaboration with biotechnology firm Infinimmune to develop antibody candidates using Infinimmune's human-first discovery platform, which combines human immune data and machine learning. Merck gains exclusive rights to develop and commercialize these antibodies, with Infinimmune receiving upfront and milestone payments potentially totaling $838 million. This partnership aims to advance therapies targeting multiple undisclosed programs, focusing on high-quality, human-derived antibodies with improved specificity and reduced immunogenicity. Infinimmune also continues to develop its own pipeline targeting inflammatory and immunological diseases.