Generative AI for Novel Target Combinations

AION Labs is a Venture Studio backed by AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer, Teva, Israel Biotech Fund, Amiti Ventures, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), powered by BioMed X, with the support of the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA). The partners have come together to establish a fully funded new startup to pioneer:

Generative AI for Novel Target Combinations

At AION Labs, we are committed to partnering with exceptional founders from diverse backgrounds to build groundbreaking companies. Our unique Venture Studio model fosters cross-industry collaboration by connecting global pharmaceutical leaders with the best AI, computational, biotech, and tech entrepreneurs. Through strategic partnerships, funding, expert mentorship, and unparalleled access to pharma R&D expertise, we empower startups to accelerate their journey from idea to market, enabling the creation and validation of transformative solutions that address the industry’s biggest R&D challenges—ultimately driving better healthcare outcomes for humanity.

What we are looking for

Multi-functional drug modalities, such as bi-specific antibodies and multi-specific peptides, have demonstrated substantial clinical success in treating complex diseases like cancer and metabolic disorders, and hundreds are currently under development. However, designing these drugs requires moving beyond single-target approaches toward multi-targets molecular discovery.

Traditional target discovery relies on expert-driven hypotheses, literature reviews, academic research, and fragmented experimental data, all generated on a single target with a single drug. We seek for a novel AI-driven platform that can systematically identify, rank, and validate molecular target combinations for multi-specific biologics. Prioritizing hypotheses should be based on disease relevance, biomarker predictability, and on-target adverse reaction risks, in therapeutic areas such as Oncology, Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM), and Immune-mediated disorders.

Existing examples for rational combination include dual signal modulators and immune cell engagers in cancer, complementary biology for additive therapeutic effect (co-agonist) in Obesity, and modulating multiple molecular targets across an organ network in Cardiovascular diseases.

We invite exceptional entrepreneurs, scientists, and technologists in computational biology, bioinformatics, AI-driven drug discovery, target identification, machine learning and related fields, including academic experts to submit proposals for a new startup addressing this challenge.

A successful platform should address the following:

• Target pair ranking: Given an indication, patient population, the desired clinical phenotype modulation and the strategy (synergism/engager/etc.), generate a ranked list of potential target pairs.

• Mechanistic explanation: Provide detailed scientific rationale linking selected molecular target combinations to disease phenotype.

• Biomarker prediction: Identify downstream biomarkers to select patient populations and assess target engagement.

• On-target adverse reactions: Considering potential toxicity and incorporating them into the hypothesis ranking.

• Validation strategy: Propose a functional validation to refine and confirm target combination hypotheses.

The new technology developed by the startup will be tested using selected indications as a proof-of-concept according to the pharma partner's guidance. Disruptive ideas that go far beyond the current state-of-the-art are particularly encouraged.

Who should apply

The Scientist Founder role is intended to suit candidates who would like to build and lead a startup or aspire to develop themselves towards an entrepreneurship path.

Candidates for Scientist Co-Founder roles are expected to have technology experience and have a certain degree of specialization in one or more relevant cutting-edge technologies or scientific areas including computational biology, bioinformatics, complex disease biology, computer science / machine learning, language models and encryption methods. We also welcome teams with at least one scientific or technical founder.

What we offer

• A fully funded startup with salaries, services, travel, and access to core facilities in Israel and beyond.

• Founders’ equity in the new startup company.

• An initial investment of at least $1M for the first two years, with working space provided in the AION Labs premises, including wet and computational labs and access to our network of investors for additional funding.

• Mentorship and guidance from pharma, AI, and venture capital experts.

• A dynamic environment in one of the world’s most innovative biomedical ecosystems.

There is flexibility over starting dates, with a goal of launching the new startup during Q4 2025.

Application & Selection Process

• Please apply online at https://career.bio.mx/call/2025-AIL-C08
• As part of the online application procedure, you will be asked to submit: (i) A competitive project proposal addressing the challenge of this call (3-5 pages describing your core hypothesis, scientific rationale, and unique approach to solve the challenge); (ii) Your curriculum vitae including your publication record.
• Deadline for applications: May 5, 2025.
• After a first selection round, candidates will be invited to a five-day innovation workshop in Israel from July 6 to 10, 2025. You will get a chance to receive feedback and guidance from experienced industry mentors. The candidates will jointly work on their project proposals and present them in front of a jury on the final day. Successful candidates will be offered the opportunity to found a startup company at AION Labs in Israel.

About AION Labs

AION Labs is a first-of-its-kind venture studio comprising AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer, Teva, the Israel Biotech Fund, Amiti Ventures, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), powered by BioMed X with the support of the Israeli Government via the Israel Innovation Authority, that have come together with one clear mission: to create and adopt groundbreaking new AI technologies that will transform the process of drug discovery and development in order to contribute to the health and well-being of all people world-wide.

AION Labs is a unique venture hub where brilliant innovators and scientist-founders convene from around the world to solve the biggest R&D challenges guided by years of accumulated know-how, data and experience in pharma. The lab leverages its partners’ wealth of knowledge and a new multidisciplinary mindset with the ingenuity, agility and innovative power of Israel’s start-up ecosystem, to develop strong companies with clear long-term strategies, that will pave the way to the future of healthcare. AION Labs cultivates innovation from within; its unique venture creation process bridges the gap between outstanding academic research in the field of AI and the biggest R&D needs in the discovery and development of new medicines for the benefit of patients.

About BioMed X

BioMed X is an independent research institute with sites in Heidelberg, Germany, New Haven, Connecticut, XSeed Labs in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and a worldwide network of partner locations. We operate at the interface between academia and industry, performing biomedical research and drug discovery & development in the fields of oncology, immunology, neuroscience, platform technologies, and artificial intelligence.

All our research projects are supported by leading pharmaceutical companies and conducted by early-career scientists recruited from the best schools around the world. The combination of global crowdsourcing with local incubation of the best research talents and ideas allows us to solve the biggest challenges in biomedical research.

We stand for free, creative, and curiosity-driven research combined with a solid validation of results, timelines, and deliverables. We serve a large purpose in advancing translational biomedicine by leveraging synergies and fostering cross-pollination across disciplines.