Vancouver’s Variational AI has secured a research deal with pharma giant Merck worth up to US$349 million. The arrangement provides Variational with two drug targets and access to Merck’s proprietary chemistry data, with milestone payments tied to progress. Variational will deploy its Enki AI platform to identify molecules that could form the basis of new medicines.
Founded in 2019, the company has previously partnered with Rakovina and Oncocross, but this marks its most significant global engagement. Merck’s venture arm also backed Variational’s US$5.5-million financing in February. CEO Handol Kim says the company is scaling rapidly.
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