Bayer Accelerates Growth With siRNA, AI Deals and Pipeline Progress

Core Insights - Bayer AG has entered a collaboration and global licensing agreement with Soufflé Therapeutics to develop a heart-targeted siRNA therapy for a rare form of dilated cardiomyopathy, enhancing its position in next-generation genetic medicines [1][9] - Soufflé Therapeutics' proprietary platform enables cell-selective delivery of siRNA therapies, potentially reducing off-target effects and the need for frequent dosing [2][9] - Bayer is also enhancing its R&D capabilities through a strategic collaboration with Cradle to integrate AI technology into its therapeutic antibody pipeline [4][5][6] - Bayer's AskBio has received FDA acceptance for its IND application for AB-1009, a gene therapy for late-onset Pompe disease, advancing into a phase I/II study [7][8] Bayer's Strategic Collaborations - The collaboration with Soufflé Therapeutics aims to bolster Bayer's cardiovascular portfolio and leverage Soufflé's capabilities in the siRNA space [3][9] - Bayer's partnership with Cradle focuses on deploying AI for protein engineering, aiming to accelerate lead generation and optimization [4][5] - Cradle's platform will support Bayer's antibody scientists in integrated design and testing cycles [6] Recent Developments and Performance - Bayer's stock has surged 123.7% over the past year, significantly outperforming the industry growth of 20.9% [11] - New drug approvals, including prostate cancer drug Nubeqa and kidney disease drug Kerendia, have contributed to Bayer's strong performance, offsetting declines in Xarelto sales [13][14] - Recent FDA approvals for elinzanetant and Hyrnuo have further strengthened Bayer's product offerings [14][15] - Bayer's pipeline progress includes the acceptance of a new drug application for gadoquatrane and positive results from the OCEANIC-STROKE Study for asundexian [16][17]