Bayer has entered into a global licensing and research collaboration with Soufflé Therapeutics to develop a heart-targeted siRNA therapy for a rare form of dilated cardiomyopathy. Under the agreement, Bayer will provide an upfront payment of €50 million, with potential development and sales milestones totaling up to €400 million. The program is slated to enter IND-enabling studies in the fourth quarter of 2026, with a first-in-human trial expected by mid-2027. Bayer will leverage Soufflé’s proprietary cell-selective lipid nanoparticle delivery system to achieve cardiomyocyte specificity, aiming to reduce off-target effects and improve therapeutic index compared with existing RNA therapies.

In a separate deal, Bayer has teamed up with a leading AI biotech firm to integrate machine-learning algorithms into its genetic medicine discovery platform. The collaboration grants Bayer access to the partner’s deep learning models for target identification and candidate optimization in both siRNA and mRNA modalities. The initial three-year agreement includes a €20 million commitment for compute resources and data licensing, with options for extension based on preclinical milestone achievements. Bayer projects that this partnership could cut early discovery timelines by up to 40%, enabling entry of up to two additional candidates into preclinical development by 2028.

Bayer’s genetic medicine pipeline now encompasses five siRNA programs and three mRNA candidates, up from two and one respectively at the start of 2024. The company expects to report Phase I data for its lead oncology-focused siRNA asset in the second half of 2025, followed by a regulatory submission for a liver-targeted RNA therapy targeting rare metabolic disorders in early 2026. R&D expenditure on next-generation genetic modalities is set to rise by 25% year-over-year, reflecting Bayer’s commitment to doubling its pipeline output within three years.