Lilly opens its AI vault to biotech startups with TuneLab platform

Eli Lilly launched TuneLab, an AI platform offering select biotech startups access to its proprietary drug discovery models and molecular data, while safeguarding participants' data through federated computing.

Why it matters: The move gives emerging biotechs access to high-powered AI tools they couldn’t afford alone, speeding early drug discovery and refining Lilly’s own models in the process.

Backstory: TuneLab leverages Lilly’s experience developing hundreds of thousands of molecules. Startups that have reached preclinical stages can join and train models locally on their data, enhancing Lilly’s AI without exposing trade secrets.

Big picture: This initiative is part of Lilly’s broader push into early-stage innovation, including its Catalyze360 program, Gateway Labs, and recent VC partnerships. It's also a signal of how pharma is embracing AI collaboration without relying solely on mega-mergers.

Zoom in: Lilly partnered with Rhino Federated Computing to enable distributed AI model training using Nvidia-powered infrastructure. Lilly’s approach favors flexible, scalable partnerships over traditional M&A, aiming to become “the partner of choice” for next-gen biotechs. This approach has already won them early partners such as Insitro, Circle Pharma, Firefly Bio, and Superluminal Medicines.