Recursion Pharmaceuticals, a Salt Lake City, Utah-based biotechnology company, has signed a research agreement with Sanofi Genzyme, the specialty care global business unit of Sanofi, to deploy its drug repurposing platform to identify new uses for Sanofi's clinical-stage molecules across dozens of genetic diseases.

Recursion generates human cellular models of many diseases and uses computer vision to extract thousands of morphological measures at the level of individual cells. Molecules are then screened for their ability to rescue phenotypic defects associated with each disease. Recursion has already used the platform to generate an internal pipeline of candidates for a handful of genetic diseases, with a lead asset nearing an investigational new drug application for the treatment of cerebral cavernous malformation.

Under the terms of the agreement, Sanofi will provide Recursion with a number of small molecules, and Recursion will screen these molecules across its extensive and rapidly expanding library of genetic disease models. Sanofi Genzyme will have the option to develop products targeting any new indications identified.

Source: Recursion Pharmaceuticals