Proteros biostructures GmbH, an early-stage drug discovery services provider in Germany, has announced an agreement with Qanatpharma of Switzerland, Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB), and Ukraine-based Enamine to launch a research collaboration intending to leverage innovations from all four partners—notably, ZIB’s artificial intelligence (AI)-based generative ligand design—to accelerate discovery of novel therapeutics targeting cerebral perfusion deficits associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) (1).
The partners said in a press release on July 9, 2025 that they hope the collaboration will set a precedent for generative AI to be used in early-stage discovery to treat cerebrovascular conditions (1). The partnership’s initial focus will be on a protein target identified by Qanatpharma that helps regulate cerebrovascular resistance in the brain, a mechanism that has been shown to be compromised in patients with SAH, which is a severe form of stroke.
Risky unmet need for stroke survivors
Key Takeaways
- Proteros, Qanatpharma, Zuse Institute Berlin, and Enamine have partnered to apply generative AI to early-stage drug discovery for treating cerebral perfusion issues in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).
- The collaboration targets delayed cerebral ischemia, a common and currently unaddressed complication of SAH, aiming to improve outcomes.
- Compound screening is underway, with in-vitro validation expected later in 2025, reinforcing a broader industry trend of thoughtfully integrating generative AI tools.
A leading complication, and heretofore unmet need, for SAH survivors is delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), which reduces cerebral perfusion and may result in long-term neurological damage, disability, or death (1). The current standard of care for SAH fails to target the molecular mechanism that prompts the occurrence of DCI.
“Delayed cerebral ischemia is a major contributor to poor outcomes following subarachnoid hemorrhage, and current treatment options remain limited,” Steffen-Sebastian Bolz, MD, PhD, chief medical and scientific officer at Qanatpharma, said in the release (1). “By building this consortium, we are bringing together the brightest machine learning engineers, chemists, structural biologists, and other scientists to tackle this critical complication. Together, we aim to accelerate the development of a targeted therapy that could significantly improve recovery and long-term outcomes for patients affected by SAH.”
The four partners said they have already begun compound screening efforts and plan to proceed to in-vitro validation studies as the second half of 2025 progresses (1).
Companies collaborating on AI innovation
Other partnerships involving, at least in part, the adoption of generative-AI approaches have been announced in 2025. In February, two United States companies, Delaware-based Incyte and California-based Genesis Therapeutics, agreed to a strategic collaboration making use of generative and predictive AI to help research, discover, and develop novel small-molecule medicines for various targets (2).
Some companies are working generative-AI technologies into their workflows even as they remain cautious about overuse or overexposure. In May 2025, St. Louis-based Emerson, building on its acquisition of Aspen Technology, announced a new AI-driven approach aimed at enhancing reliability and performance of mission-critical manufacturing operations, including those in the pharmaceutical sector (3). At the same time, however, the company warned that public generative-AI tools—up to this point, at least—remain unsuitable for industrial settings due to security and reliability concerns.
As part of Pharmaceutical Technology® Group’s “Industry Outlook” series for 2025, Preeya Beczek, managing director and co-founder of Beczek.COM Ltd, a specialist in regulatory affairs and compliance, said overall, generative AI is a top trend to watch as it relates to the ways in which companies in the industry operate (4).
“I think we're just going to have lot more people adopting [generative AI and] that way of working, in their day-to-day work,” Beczek said in the interview (4). “I think that there's going to be some push to get speed, [in] things like manufacturing timelines, [so] they become shorter.”
Click here to view the full interview.
References
1. Proteros biostructures GmbH. Qanatpharma, Zuse Institute Berlin, Enamine, and Proteros biostructures Announce Generative-AI Driven Lead Discovery Collaboration. Press Release. July 9, 2025.
2. Incyte. Incyte and Genesis Therapeutics Announce Strategic AI-Focused Research Collaboration. Press Release. Feb. 20, 2025.
3. Emerson. Emerson’s Expanded AI Portfolio Paves the Way for More Optimized Autonomous Operations. Press Release. May 22, 2025.
4. Thomas, F. Industry Outlook 2025: Personalizing Precision Medicine and Adopting AI. PharmTech.com, Feb. 20, 2025.
