Bayer and X-Chem announce expanded drug discovery alliance

Bayer has agreed to expand its ongoing collaborative relationship with X-Chem to include new drug discovery activities.

The expanded global drug discovery collaboration spans multiple therapeutic areas and target classes and will extend Bayer's access to X-Chem's DEX technology, which is based on DNA-encoded libraries more than 120 billion small molecules.

Through this work, the companies are hoping to discover innovative lead structures for complex drug targets in areas of high unmet medical need, having already successfully worked together since 2012.

Bayer has already licensed two programmes for multiple series of small molecules from X-Chem that address complex target structures such as protein-protein interactions, but this new agreement will significantly expand both the scope and duration of the partnership.

Professor Andreas Busch, member of the executive committee of Bayer's pharmaceuticals division and head of drug discovery, said: "Bayer and X-Chem have built a strong relationship delivering outcomes that have exceeded expectations. Complementing our in-house expertise with technologies and know-how of excellent partners is an integral part of our innovation strategy at Bayer."