VantAI has expanded its collaboration and licensing agreement with Blueprint Medicines to prioritise targets and design novel therapies addressing high medical needs.
The partnership, which initially began in 2022, now includes additional drug target programmes, highlighting the industry’s recognition of VantAI’s technology.
The collaboration will focus on induced proximity drug discovery, tackling targets previously deemed “undruggable” by traditional therapeutics.
The therapeutics include molecular glues and heterobifunctional degraders, which modify protein-protein interactions to treat diseases by manipulating cellular processes such as protein degradation and stabilisation.
VantAI’s Neo-1 foundation model, introduced in March 2025, will drive this collaboration. This AI-based model facilitates the generation of molecular glues and other compounds, addressing complex drug discovery challenges involving proteins and ligands.
Combining Blueprint Medicines’ expertise in developing therapies targeting disease root causes with VantAI’s AI capabilities, the collaboration seeks to engineer protein-protein interfaces. This approach could unlock therapeutics with new properties, addressing challenging medical needs.
VantAI CEO Dr Zach Carpenter said: “Blueprint Medicines is a truly forward-thinking biotech company, composed of stellar scientists who understand how data-centric methods and AI can transform the drug discovery process.
“Their scientific vision and appreciation for new types of data and methodology make them a highly collaborative and effective partner.
“Together we are excited to push the boundaries of induced proximity and unlock crucial new targets, which may ultimately deliver transformative treatments to patients.”
Blueprint Medicines chief scientific officer Percy Carter said: “We are excited to expand our collaboration with VantAI, leveraging their innovative technology platform and unique insights into protein structure and function.
“By working closely with VantAI, we look forward to accelerating early discovery activities for targeted protein degraders and advancing our integrated research approach across multiple treatment modalities.”
Under the expanded agreement, VantAI may receive up to $1.67bn in milestone payments, contingent on achieving research, development, regulatory, and sales targets across four combined programs. This includes up to $1.4bn in sales milestones and $270m in research, development, and regulatory milestones.
Additionally, VantAI will earn tiered royalties on future net sales. Blueprint Medicines retains the option to further expand the collaboration to include more target programmes.
