Genflow Biosciences PLC (LSE:GENF, OTCQB:GENFF), a London-listed biotech focused on longevity, has signed a partnership deal with US artificial intelligence firm Heureka Labs to help sharpen its gene therapy research.
The agreement, finalised on April 11, sets up a long-term collaboration between the two companies.
It will see Genflow tap into Heureka’s AI tools to better understand the huge volumes of genetic data it generates in the lab - the kind that would normally take teams of scientists weeks or months to analyse.
Heureka’s software, developed as a spin-out from Duke University, is built to spot patterns in complex biological datasets, such as RNA sequencing and gene expression.
In plain terms, it can help Genflow understand how genes behave, how they interact with each other, and what that might mean for treating disease.
Genflow said the deal would support work on its lead experimental treatment, GF-1002, a gene therapy based on the SIRT6 gene found in long-lived individuals.
That project is still at the preclinical stage. The collaboration could also extend to Genflow’s pipeline of future therapies, including one being explored for a type of fatty liver disease known as MASH, short for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
The companies didn’t disclose financial details, but Genflow said it would retain all intellectual property generated under the agreement.
"Incorporating AI is no longer optional in bioinformatics research - it's essential for precision, speed, and scale," explained Dr Eric Leire, CEO of Genflow.
"Heureka's AI platform gives us the tools to navigate complex biological data and refine our gene therapy approach across a number of programs we are working on, accelerating the delivery of safe and effective therapies that promote a healthier lifespan, while helping to ease the growing operational and economic burden of an ageing population."