Eli Lilly has unveiled TuneLab, a new artificial intelligence and machine learning platform designed to broaden access to advanced drug discovery tools. The initiative allows smaller biotechnology firms to utilise AI models developed from over a billion dollars of Eli Lilly’s proprietary research—historical investment that has yielded vast datasets derived from experiments on hundreds of thousands of unique molecules.

The objective behind TuneLab is to manufacture access: providing emerging biotechs with the same powerful AI capabilities that Lilly’s own scientists employ daily. This approach is meant to level the playing field in drug development, offering a cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional methods. Moreover, the platform aligns with shifting regulatory priorities, such as those promoted by the FDA, to reduce reliance on animal testing by accelerating discovery and safety assessments through AI.

Participating organisations include privately held Circle Pharma and insitro, which will respectively apply the platform to develop cancer treatments and small-molecule therapies. In return, biotech collaborators contribute training data to TuneLab, enabling continuous improvement of the underlying AI models.

To safeguard commercial data integrity, the platform employs federated learning, a distributed system that enables partners to benefit from shared AI intelligence without having to reveal proprietary data. TuneLab is hosted by a third-party infrastructure, ensuring strict privacy protections.

This move comes under the umbrella of Lilly’s broader external development strategy, Catalyze360, launched in 2024 to bolster early-stage drug development efforts through innovation, collaboration, and venture support.