Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2026-01-20 00:18Group 1 - The core announcement is that Insilico Medicine (03696) has entered into an exclusive licensing and co-development agreement with Shenzhen Hengtai Biotechnology Co., Ltd. for the ISM8969 project, a novel oral NLRP3 inhibitor aimed at treating central nervous system diseases [1] - The collaboration aims to accelerate the global development of ISM8969, which has the ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier [1] - Insilico Medicine will receive up to $66 million (approximately HKD 514.8 million) in upfront and milestone payments, including an initial payment of $10 million (approximately HKD 78 million) within 30 days of the agreement's effective date [1] Group 2 - ISM8969 is identified as a potential best-in-class NLRP3 inhibitor, discovered and optimized through Insilico Medicine's proprietary generative chemistry engine, Chemistry42 [2] - Preclinical studies have shown ISM8969 to exhibit excellent efficacy and safety, demonstrating significant anti-inflammatory activity across various disease models [2] - The compound has ideal blood-brain barrier penetration capabilities, which may provide potential benefits for treating neuroinflammatory-related diseases [2]