PostEra, a biotechnology company specializing in machine learning solutions for preclinical drug discovery, today announced a strategic partnership with Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) with the goal of accelerating small molecule drug discovery by developing a platform technology based on generative chemistry.

PostEra’s machine learning technology is intended to accelerate the drug discovery process by designing novel molecular structures with optimised potency and drug-like properties. PostEra’s approaches take chemical synthesis into account, as well as incorporate design hypotheses of medicinal chemists.

Through the collaboration, the companies will leverage Pfizer’s extensive data and expertise with PostEra’s technology capabilities to advance the science of generative chemistry to produce state-of-the-art, scalable models that could potentially be deployed across in-house, preclinical drug discovery efforts.

PostEra will receive an upfront payment and is eligible to receive additional payments as the project progresses. PostEra will also retain ownership rights to all algorithms developed during the collaboration.

“PostEra is delighted to be working with Pfizer to solve some of the key pain points in preclinical drug discovery,” said Aaron Morris, CEO of PostEra. “As a team we are proud to be entering this collaboration and will be leveraging PostEra’s many advances in machine learning to help Pfizer accelerate progress toward novel therapeutics.”

“We believe that our investments in machine learning technologies could potentially help us expedite preclinical drug discovery. PostEra’s technology complements this effort, and we look forward to seeing the results of the collaboration,” said Charlotte Allerton, Head of Medicine Design, Pfizer.