• The collaboration will leverage Chugai’s proprietary antibody engineering technologies to develop new antibody drug candidates based on drug targets identified by Gero’s AI-driven, human data-first platform.
  • The partnership aims to accelerate innovation by integrating Gero’s aging-focused target discovery technology with Chugai’s drug discovery expertise.

TOKYO, July 07, 2025 – Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 4519, hereafter “Chugai”) and Singapore-based biotechnology company Gero PTE. LTD. (hereafter “Gero”) today announced the establishment of a joint research and license agreement aimed at developing novel therapies for age-related diseases.

Under this collaborative effort, Chugai will utilize its proprietary antibody engineering technologies to generate innovative antibody drug candidates. These candidates will target novel drug pathways identified by Gero’s unique AI target discovery platform through the analysis of extensive human datasets. The agreement grants Chugai exclusive global rights for the creation, research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of antibodies against these identified targets. Financially, Gero will receive an upfront payment, along with potential milestone payments totaling approximately 250 million USD contingent on the achievement of specific development or sales objectives. Furthermore, Gero is eligible for royalties on sales should Chugai successfully launch a product.

“We believe that open innovation with external partners, including leading global players, is extremely important for achieving global first-class drug discovery outlined in our growth strategy toward 2030, TOP I 2030. By combining Gero’s target discovery technology with Chugai’s drug discovery technologies, we will accelerate the creation of innovation,” stated Dr. Osamu Okuda, Chugai’s President and CEO.

“Our AI platform is built to identify therapeutic targets that drive multiple age-related diseases and potentially aging itself,” commented Peter Fedichev, CEO of Gero. “In this collaboration, we aim to translate those insights into therapeutics that can help restore the lost function. This partnership with Chugai is an important step toward achieving Gero’s mission: to meaningfully target the biological processes of human aging.”

“We are excited to partner with Chugai, a leading pharmaceutical company, to unlock the synergy between human data-driven target discovery and cutting-edge therapeutic design technology platforms. Together, we aim to develop first-in-class therapeutics to address unmet needs of increasing number of patients suffering from age-related diseases,” added Alex Kadet, CBO of Gero.

About Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Headquartered in Tokyo, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a research-focused pharmaceutical company renowned for its world-class drug discovery capabilities, particularly in proprietary antibody engineering technologies. Chugai is dedicated to developing innovative pharmaceutical products that address significant unmet medical needs. The company is publicly traded on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and operates as a key member of the Roche Group, while retaining its autonomy and management independence. Further details can be found at 

About Gero PTE. LTD.
Gero PTE. LTD., a Singapore-based, preclinical-stage biotechnology company, specializes in creating therapeutics for age-related diseases with the overarching goal of extending healthy human lifespan. Gero’s advanced technology platform leverages physics-based machine learning and human data to identify therapeutic targets and develop treatments that tackle age-related conditions and their underlying causes. More information is available at: https://www.gero.ai

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