German Merck and Quris-AI expand collaboration

Israel and USA-based artificial intelligence (AI) company Quris-AI says that it has agreed to expand its existing partnership with Germany’s Merck KGaA (MRK: DE).

Following the success of its first collaboration signed in October last year, a pre-clinical study to assess Quris-AI’s ability to predict drug toxicity in comparison to traditional in vitro and in vivo approaches, Merck has the option to obtain up to a five-year exclusive license to a specific disease domain. Upon Merck exercising the option, Quris-AI may receive an undisclosed payment.

The deal adds to Merck’s recent AI collaborations earlier this month, when it announced partnerships, with BenevolentAI (Euronext Amsterdam: BAI) and Exscientia (Nasdaq: EXAI).