Business
Autobahn Labs Forms Strategic Partnership with Astellas to Accelerate Academic Discoveries into New Medicines
PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Autobahn Labs (“Autobahn”), a venture studio focused on transforming high-potential academic science into investable drug discovery and development programs, announced today a strategic partnership with global life sciences company Astellas Pharma Inc. (“Astellas”). The collaboration seeks to advance academic research and discoveries into novel therapeutics, providing Astellas’ Innovation Lab and Oncology Research units with integrated visibil
About this update from Astellas Pharma Inc.
[{"type":"image","alt":"Autobahn Labs","displaySize":"","headline":null,"caption":"Autobahn Labs","className":"","disableSlideshowImg":false,"size":{"original":{"width":300,"height":85,"url":"https://media.zenfs.com/en/globenewswire.com/e3033f9e3ab9e7c08e9809e8136cbe1a"},"resized":{"url":"https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/SvJtniek5_Gi_JoFin0N8g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTQyMDtoPTExOTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/globenewswire.com/e3033f9e3ab9e7c08e9809e8136cbe1a","width":300,"height":85}},"lazy":false},{"type":"text","content":"PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Autobahn Labs (“Autobahn”), a venture studio focused on transforming high-potential academic science into investable drug discovery and development programs, announced today a strategic partnership with global life sciences company Astellas Pharma Inc. (“Astellas”). The collaboration seeks to advance academic research and discoveries into novel therapeutics, providing Astellas’ Innovation Lab and Oncology Research units with integrated visibility into promising platforms, technologies and modalities from early discovery through development.","length":599,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Through this collaboration, Astellas will receive an exclusive opportunity to invest in selected drug discovery programs emerging from Autobahn’s translational research pipeline, which includes promising, early-stage discoveries from leading academic institutions. Autobahn will receive an annual access fee and co-investment from Astellas in startups created under the partnership.","length":382,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Selected, early-stage research and discovery programs will be advanced within newly formed Program Companies, with equity interests shared among Autobahn, Astellas, the originating academic institution, and the founding academic investigators. Astellas will receive a right of first negotiation for an exclusive license to further develop and commercialize intellectual property arising from jointly funded programs.","length":416,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"“This exciting partnership combines the strengths of academic innovation with world-class drug development expertise,” said Dushyant Pathak, CEO of Autobahn. “By combining Autobahn’s deep academic relationships and search and evaluation capabilities with Astellas’ drug development experti...