On January 8, 2026 Noetik, an AI-native biotech company pioneering self-supervised machine learning and high-throughput spatial data to develop next-generation cancer therapeutics, reported a five-year strategic collaboration and AI model licensing agreement with GSK.
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The partnership provides GSK’s AI and Therapeutics teams with a direct, non-exclusive license to access Noetik’s OCTO-VC virtual cell foundation models in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and colorectal cancer (CRC). The collaboration combines GSK’s leadership in AI and tumor immunology with Noetik’s industry-first virtual cell simulation technology to accelerate the development of novel medicines. Additionally, the companies will collaborate to generate bespoke human spatial datasets, applying human-first biological simulation to areas of strategic interest.
Noetik’s platform is powered by the largest spatial biology dataset in oncology, specifically engineered to train self supervised AI. Comprising hundreds of millions of spatially resolved human cells, this data powers Noetik’s virtual cell foundation models capable of simulating gene expression, cell states, and tumor-immune interactions. "Simulation of patient biology with world models like OCTO-VC will drive the next wave of discovery and therapeutic development. These models let us go beyond the limited data available from any one patient to ask ‘What if?’ questions about patient genes, proteins, cells, and tissue," said Daniel Bear, Ph.D, Vice President of AI at Noetik.
"We built Noetik to move the industry from probabilistic ‘shots on goal’ to deterministic engineering of cancer drugs," said Ron Alfa, M.D., Ph.D., CEO & Co-Founder of Noetik. "This agreement validates a new paradigm in biotech: the licensing of human foundation models. GSK is now equipped with one of the most extensive oncology multimodal spatial training sets in existence, allowing them to query tumor biology with a level of resolution that was previously impossible. We are proud to partner with their team to find better medicines, faster."
Kim Branson, SVP Global Head of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at GSK added: "Foundation models are only as good as the underlying training data they are built upon. Noetik’s approach to generating high-quality spatial data at scale to train foundation models is novel. Integration of these models in GSK’s drug discovery and development process has the potential to deepen our understanding of biology and support our development of novel medicines."
Under the terms of the agreement, GSK receives a non-exclusive license to Noetik’s OCTO-VC foundation models in NSCLC and CRC. This collaboration includes $50 million in upfront capital and near-term milestones. Additionally, the deal establishes a subscription-based framework, with GSK paying annual licensing fees to access the models, validating Noetik’s platform as a scalable, revenue-generating engine.
"This deal defines a new asset class in biotech," said Shafique Virani, M.D., Chief Business Officer of Noetik. "We are moving the industry from AI services collaborations to licensing AI infrastructure. To our knowledge, this is among the first and largest transactions monetizing a biological foundation model as a scalable enterprise asset."
This partnership reflects a growing industry shift toward AI-guided discovery and development frameworks that integrate real human biology, enabling improved translation and more confident therapeutic development.
(Press release, GlaxoSmithKline, JAN 8, 2026, View Source [SID1234661874])