In a $66M Deal, Insilico Medicine and Hygtia Will Develop an AI-Designed Brain-Penetrant NLRP3 Inhibitor for CNS Diseases
Insilico Medicine and Hygtia Therapeutics have entered a global co-development and licensing agreement for ISM8969, an orally available, blood-brain barrier–penetrant NLRP3 inhibitor intended for central nervous system (CNS) disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Discovered via Insilico’s generative AI platform, Chemistry42, the candidate has shown preclinical efficacy, safety, and brain penetration.
Another Insilico’s AI-designed asset discovered via Chemistry42 platform, the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis candidate rentosertib (ISM001-055), has delivered positive Phase IIa data and has been described as the first drug where both target and compound were discovered using generative AI.
Founded in August 2025 as an incubatee of Shenzhen Pengfu Fund of Fosun Health Capital and Fosun Pharma, Hygtia is focused on autoimmune and neuroinflammatory indications with a global pipeline strategy.
Under the agreement, Insilico will receive up to $66 million in milestone payments, including an initial upfront payment of $10 million due within 30 days of the agreement's effective date and will lead IND-enabling studies and Phase 1 trials. Hygtia will take over later-stage clinical development, regulatory filings, and global commercialization. Both companies will share worldwide rights equally.
The NLRP3 inflammasome plays a central role in the innate immune system, and its dysregulation is increasingly linked to neuroinflammation associated with neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. While NLRP3 inhibition is a known strategy, no direct and specific inhibitor has yet reached the market. ISM8969 is among the few orally available compounds reported to achieve sufficient brain exposure.
This collaboration follows Insilico’s broader strategy of combining AI-driven small molecule design with external clinical development partners, including a multi-target Sanofi collaboration worth up to $1.2 billion, a recent research and licensing alliance with Eli Lilly, and serial oncology licensing agreements with Menarini Group.
In December 2025, Insilico listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, raising approximately HK$2.28 billion (about US$290 million) in what has been reported as the largest biotech IPO on the Hong Kong market in 2025.
Topic: AI in Bio
