Early year artificial intelligence (AI) collaborations are helping form GSK’s “multimodal approach” to drug discovery, says CSO Tony Wood, strengthening early-stage R&D as 2025-acquired assets promise near-term revenue potential.
Wood held a fireside Q&A session at the 2026 J.P. Morgan Healthcare conference in San Francisco on 13 January, outlining the pharma giant’s future following AI-oriented tech deals early in the year. He described the company’s expected pipeline developments in the coming years, stating acquisitions during 2025 are expected to drive revenues as many large developers face patent losses for flagship assets.
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GSK signed a multi-year collaboration with genomics company Helix, on 8 January, gaining access to the firm’s GenoSphere cohorts of genomic and longitudinal data to advance R&D of precision medicine. On the same day, GSK agreed to a five-year collaboration with AI-native biotech Noetik for $50m to leverage its machine learning (ML) technology for developing cancer treatments, gaining access to virtual cell models for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and colorectal cancer.
Such deals with these partners, both California-based, support what Wood referred to as a “multimodal approach that links causality from genetics, through phenotype, ultimately to clinical readouts.” He added an AI-focused approach to drug discovery will support improved efficiency in R&D, reducing the time and costs associated with candidate development, in particular “solving the key problem, which is attrition at Phase II,” where many candidates fail to reach pivotal-stage study.
Beyond early-stage investment in R&D technology, GSK has acquired later-stage assets and companies to shore up its clinical pipeline. In February 2025, the company bought Boston-based developer IDRx for $1bn, gaining its Phase III gastrointestinal stromal tumour asset IDRX-42. In May, it also picked up Boston Pharmaceuticals’ Phase III steatotic liver disease (SLD) candidate efimosfermin for $1.2bn.
GSK now looks to these assets to drive sales in 2031, said Wood. Pivotal studies for both initiated in H2 2025, quickly after their acquisition, as Wood stressed their close alignment with GSK’s research and commercial strategies.
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By GlobalDataWood also set out plans for future development of other aspects of GSK’s pipeline. The CALM-2 study of CALM-2 trial of P2X3 receptor agonist camlipixant, for example, can be expected to be completed around the middle of this year, according to Wood. Though he stopped short of exact details, he added that, “this is going to be a year in which you will hear much more form us in HIV,” referring to twice- and thrice-yearly formulations of cabotegravir treatment.
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