The partnership will leverage Insilico’s Pharma.AI platform for the development of small molecule inhibitors, with the agreement valued at nearly $120m.
This agreement includes development and commercial milestone payments plus single-digit royalties based on net sales.
Under the agreement, Insilico will design and optimise small molecules for treating metabolic disorders.
Qilu Pharmaceutical will oversee subsequent development and commercialisation activities.
Insilico’s business model includes software solution licensing with 13 multinational pharma companies, research collaborations involving upfront payments with Sanofi and Fosun Pharma.
The company will also sign pipeline out-licensing deals with Menarini Group and Exelixis totalling more than $2bn.
Qilu Pharmaceutical initially adopted PandaOmics in 2021, which led to this new $120m collaboration.
Insilico founder, CEO and chief business officer Alex Zhavoronkov said: “We are pleased to see Insilico Medicine and Qilu Pharmaceutical further deepen their strategic collaboration driven by generative AI.
“I believe that strategies targeting cardiometabolic diseases have the potential to generate the first drugs to achieve large-scale healthspan extension, and I look forward to AI technology accelerating innovation in the field and maximising potential.”
In March 2025, Insilico Medicine completed a Series E financing round, raising $110m to progress the development