Recursion is a clinical-stage "TechBio" drug discovery company that uses AI and large-scale lab automation to find and develop small molecule drugs, primarily in oncology and rare disease. The core of Recursion's business is its Recursion OS platform, an end-to-end system that spans target discovery through clinical development. The platform generates proprietary biological data at industrial scale — over 2 million automated experiments per week and over 50 petabytes of data — using high-content cellular imaging, genomics, and transcriptomics to map functional relationships across the genome. Recursion then uses generative AI and active learning chemistry tools to design drug candidates, claiming to reach advanced candidates in roughly 17 months using ~330 compounds per program, versus an industry average of ~42 months and ~2,500 compounds. Recursion has 5 clinical-stage programs, with the most advanced being REC-4881, a MEK1/2 inhibitor for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), a rare inherited GI condition with no approved treatments. Phase 2 data showed a 43-53% reduction in polyp burden, which Recursion describes as the first clinical validation of its platform. Other pipeline programs target CDK7, RBM39, MALT1, and LSD1 across various solid tumors and blood cancers. Recursion is pre-commercial and generates revenue through partnerships with Roche/Genentech, Sanofi, Bayer, and Merck KGaA, earning milestone payments for delivering biological maps and advancing drug programs, with partners retaining commercial rights and Recursion eligible for royalties.
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