Novartis teams up with Relation Therapeutics in $1.7 billion atopic-disease collaboration

The Swiss pharma group Novartis has entered a multi-program strategic collaboration with London-based biotech Relation Therapeutics to discover and develop novel treatments for atopic diseases such as eczema, asthma and allergies. Relation brings its AI-powered “Lab-in-the-Loop” platform, which integrates patient-derived genetics, single-cell multi-omics and functional assays to identify and validate disease targets. Novartis contributes its immuno-dermatology expertise and global development and commercial capabilities. Relation will receive US$55 million upfront — including equity investment and R&D funding — plus the potential for up to US$1.7 billion in milestone payments and royalties, should the programmes succeed. By combining cutting-edge AI with real human disease data and Novartis’s development strength, the collaboration aims to lower the risk of clinical failure and deliver first-in-class medicines for immune-driven atopic conditions. The partnership marks a significant step for Relation, which previously secured collaborations with other large pharma players and is now extending its reach into immunology and dermatology.