Bayer and Cradle have announced a three-year strategic collaboration to leverage Cradle’s scientific AI software platform for advancing protein engineering in antibody discovery and optimization. Under the agreement, Bayer will integrate Cradle’s generative AI platform into its existing research and development workflows to accelerate lead generation and improve the quality of therapeutic antibodies entering clinical development. The collaboration aims to reduce the number of optimization cycles, enhance molecular potency, safety, and manufacturability, and increase the likelihood of technical success—particularly as Bayer expands into more complex therapeutic modalities. By embedding AI into daily lab operations, the partnership seeks to streamline the design-test-learn cycle and improve coordination across internal teams and external partners. Anastasia Hager, Ph.D., Global Head of Drug Discovery Sciences at Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division, emphasized the transformative potential of AI in drug discovery. “We believe AI-driven molecule design, discovery, and optimization will be a key accelerator of our productivity moving forward,” she said. “Cradle’s platform offers scalable, scientist-centric solutions that maximize opportunities across our biologics portfolio and could help deliver faster, more effective medicines to patients.” Stef van Grieken, Co-founder and CEO of Cradle, highlighted the growing demand among top pharmaceutical companies for AI tools that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows without requiring deep machine learning expertise. “Bayer’s decision reflects a broader shift: organizations want AI that scales across portfolios, teams, and formats,” he said. “Cradle brings enterprise-grade, lab-in-the-loop AI to expert scientists, enabling faster, higher-quality candidate development. We’re excited to help Bayer operationalize AI at scale.” The collaboration builds on Bayer’s internal strengths in antibody design, synthesis, and machine learning, enhanced by Cradle’s expertise in scalable AI software. Following a successful proof of concept, Bayer selected Cradle over several other vendors as its preferred partner. The two companies will also jointly pursue a machine learning research project to further extend the capabilities of their AI-driven platform. Cradle’s mission is to make biological engineering faster, easier, and more cost-effective. Its AI platform is currently used by six of the top 25 global pharmaceutical companies across more than 50 R&D programs. The technology has been shown to accelerate the development of antibodies, enzymes, and bio-based materials by up to 12 times. Based in Amsterdam, Zurich, and the United States, Cradle is backed by IVP, Index Ventures, and Kindred Capital, and employs experts with experience at leading tech and biotech firms including Google, Novartis, Meta, DeepMind, and Generate Biomedicines. Bayer, a global leader in health care and nutrition, continues to invest heavily in innovation. In fiscal 2024, the company reported sales of €46.6 billion and invested €6.2 billion in R&D, employing around 93,000 people worldwide. The company remains committed to advancing sustainable development and delivering impactful therapies through science and technology.