BenchSci, a Toronto-based AI solutions company focused on preclinical research and drug discovery, has announced a three-year global license agreement with Sanofi. The agreement grants Sanofi’s worldwide preclinical research organization access to BenchSci’s ASCEND platform, a neurosymbolic AI system designed to enhance disease biology understanding and accelerate the drug discovery process across therapeutic areas.
Under the partnership, Sanofi will deploy ASCEND across its global research sites, providing scientists and contractors with an AI co-pilot to support discovery initiatives. The ASCEND platform integrates both public and proprietary research data into a Biological Evidence Knowledge Graph (BEKG), which acts as a comprehensive biological “truth engine.” This integration aims to provide a unified, data-driven view of disease biology, enabling researchers to generate new hypotheses, optimize experimental design, and increase productivity throughout the preclinical R&D pipeline.
“Sanofi’s commitment to embedding AI across its research programs demonstrates how science can move faster, uncover new biology, and transform the way medicines are developed,” said Liran Belenzon, CEO and Co-Founder of BenchSci.
The agreement aligns with Sanofi’s broader AI strategy, which seeks to integrate artificial intelligence into every stage of research and development. Through ASCEND, Sanofi aims to strengthen its foundation for AI-driven scientific innovation and accelerate discovery within its key therapeutic focus areas.
BenchSci has established itself as a leader in AI applications for life sciences, focusing on solving one of drug discovery’s most persistent challenges: understanding disease biology. The company’s ASCEND platform functions as a scalable AI assistant that enhances preclinical research productivity. BenchSci currently supports 16 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies and over 4,500 research centers globally.
Backed by investors including Generation Investment Management, iNovia Capital, TCV, F-Prime, Gradient Ventures, and Golden Ventures, BenchSci has raised over $200 million to date. The company has been recognized by Deloitte as a Technology Fast 50™ and Fast 500™ winner for its contributions to advancing data-driven biomedical innovation.
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