Caris Life Sciences Announces Collaboration with Genentech to Discover Novel Therapeutic Targets in Cancers with High Unmet Clinical Need

Rhea-AI Summary

Caris Life Sciences (NASDAQ: CAI) announced a multi-year collaboration and license agreement with Genentech on Dec 16, 2025 to identify and validate novel oncology targets in solid tumors.

Under the deal Caris is eligible to receive $25 million in upfront and near-term payments and up to $1.1 billion in potential research, development, commercial and net sales milestone payments, plus potential tiered royalties on net sales. Caris will leverage its repository of nearly 500,000 solid tumor samples and multimodal molecular and clinical data to support tissue-based target discovery and validation.

Positive

• $25M upfront and near-term payments eligible
• Up to $1.1B in potential milestone payments
• Access to nearly 500,000 solid tumor samples
• Multi-year collaboration with Genentech (Roche)

Negative

• Milestone payments and royalties are contingent and not guaranteed
• No definitive commercialization timeline or guaranteed product outcomes disclosed

News Market Reaction

+3.37%

1 alert

+3.37% News Effect

+$256M Valuation Impact

$7.84B Market Cap

0.0x Rel. Volume

On the day this news was published, CAI gained 3.37%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction. This price movement added approximately $256M to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $7.84B at that time.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Upfront & near-term payments: $25 million Milestone potential: $1.1 billion Tumor sample repository: nearly 500,000 samples +5 more

8 metrics

Upfront & near-term payments $25 million Eligibility under Genentech collaboration agreement

Milestone potential $1.1 billion Potential research, development, commercial and net sales milestones

Tumor sample repository nearly 500,000 samples Solid tumor samples in Caris data repository

Q3 2025 revenue $216.8M From prior earnings release, up 113.4% YoY

Net income Q3 2025 $24.3M Third quarter 2025 net income reported

2025 revenue guidance $720–$730M Full-year 2025 revenue outlook raised on Nov 5, 2025

Current share price $26.70 Pre-news trading level vs 52-week range $22.86–$56.215

Market capitalization $7,550,251,659 Equity value prior to publication of collaboration news

Market Reality Check

Price: $23.16 Vol: Volume 2,259,535 is at 0....

normal vol

$23.16 Last Close

Volume Volume 2,259,535 is at 0.89x the 20-day average of 2,552,962 shares, indicating subdued trading ahead of this news. normal

Technical Shares at $26.70 are trading below the 200-day moving average of $39.74 and about 52.5% under the 52-week high $56.215.

Peers on Argus

Peers show mixed moves: MRNA +2.19% and HALO +2.11% while MDGL -1.97%, ROIV -1.3...

Peers show mixed moves: MRNA +2.19% and HALO +2.11% while MDGL -1.97%, ROIV -1.35%, and VRNA +0.06%, suggesting today’s setup is more stock-specific than sector-driven for CAI.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Dec 04 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 04	Scientific presentations	Positive	+3.0%	Planned presentation of 19 breast cancer studies at SABCS 2025.
Dec 02	Alliance expansion	Positive	+0.2%	UAMS Cancer Institute joining the Caris Precision Oncology Alliance network.
Nov 21	Education program	Positive	+0.3%	Announcement of 15 physician‑scientists in 2025/2026 Fellows Forum.
Nov 17	Investor outreach	Positive	-0.6%	Participation in multiple Q4 2025 healthcare investor conferences.
Nov 05	Earnings and guidance	Positive	-6.3%	Q3 2025 beats with raised 2025 revenue guidance to $720–$730M.

Pattern Detected

Recent scientific and partnership news has typically seen modest positive price alignment, while strong financial results drew a negative reaction.

Recent Company History

Over the last six weeks, Caris reported strong growth, with Q3 2025 revenue $216.8M (up 113.4% YoY) and raised full-year guidance to $720–$730M, yet shares fell 6.32% post-earnings. Subsequent news focused on expanding its Precision Oncology Alliance, education programs, and showcasing 19 studies at SABCS, with small positive moves up to 3.05%. Today’s Genentech collaboration adds a large external validation and non-dilutive funding layer to this trajectory of scientific and commercial expansion.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights a multi-year collaboration with Genentech that brings $25M in upfront a...

Analysis

This announcement highlights a multi-year collaboration with Genentech that brings $25M in upfront and near-term payments and up to $1.1B in potential milestones, anchored on Caris’ repository of nearly 500,000 solid tumor samples and multimodal AI-driven discovery platform. In the context of recent strong revenue growth and raised 2025 guidance, investors may watch for pipeline candidates emerging from this partnership and any follow-on agreements with other large biopharma partners.

Key Terms

solid tumor, multimodal data, bioinformatics, wet-lab, +2 more

6 terms

solid tumor medical

"identify and validate novel oncology targets in solid tumor tissue"

A solid tumor is a localized mass of abnormal cells that forms in an organ or tissue, like a lump in the lung, liver or breast, as opposed to cancers that circulate in the blood. For investors it matters because solid tumors determine how treatments are developed, tested and approved — like choosing tools for a visible fortress versus scattered targets — affecting trial design, potential market size and regulatory risk.

multimodal data technical

"combining Caris' unparalleled multimodal data and tissue-based discovery engine"

Multimodal data is information that combines different types of sources—such as numbers, written reports, photos, audio, and sensor readings—into a single view. For investors it matters because blending these types is like looking at a company with both a microscope and a wide-angle lens: it can reveal risks, trends, or opportunities that a single type of data would miss, improving decision-making, forecasting, and due diligence.

bioinformatics technical

"Caris Discovery scientists use an integrated bioinformatics and wet-lab workflow"

The use of computer tools and data analysis to organize and interpret large biological datasets, such as DNA, protein or patient information. It matters to investors because it speeds up research, lowers development costs and helps identify promising drug targets, diagnostics or personalized treatments—think of it as using GPS and analytics to find the fastest, most reliable route through vast amounts of lab data.

wet-lab technical

"integrated bioinformatics and wet-lab workflow, which combines interrogation"

A wet-lab is a physical laboratory where scientists perform hands-on experiments using liquids, biological samples, chemicals, or live cells—think of it as a kitchen where recipes are mixed and tested rather than simulated on a computer. For investors, wet-lab work signals real-world experimental progress, tangible costs for equipment and materials, and potential regulatory or safety hurdles that can affect timelines, capital needs, and the credibility of scientific claims.

molecular profiling medical

"Through comprehensive molecular profiling (Whole Exome and Whole Transcriptome Sequencing)"

Molecular profiling is a laboratory analysis that reads a patient’s disease at the level of genes, proteins or other molecules to reveal its specific characteristics—think of it as reading the instruction manual for a tumor or condition. For investors, it matters because the results guide which targeted treatments, diagnostics or tests will be used, shaping clinical demand, regulatory approval paths and potential revenue for companies developing precision medicines and companion tests.

precision medicine medical

"a leading, patient-centric, next-generation AI TechBio company and precision medicine pioneer"

Precision medicine uses a person’s unique genetic makeup, lifestyle and environment to choose treatments and preventive steps that are more likely to work for them than one-size-fits-all approaches. For investors, it matters because it can make therapies more effective and efficient—think tailoring a suit rather than buying off the rack—affecting drug development costs, market size, pricing power and the speed at which therapies win regulatory approval.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

IRVING, Texas, Dec. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Caris Life Sciences® (NASDAQ: CAI), a leading, patient-centric, next-generation AI TechBio company and precision medicine pioneer, today announced that its therapeutic research arm, Caris Discovery, has entered into a multi-year collaboration and license agreement with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. In this collaboration, Caris will work to identify and validate novel oncology targets in solid tumor tissue.

Under the terms of the agreement, Caris is eligible to receive upfront and near-term payments of $25 million and is also eligible for up to $1.1 billion of potential research, development, commercial and net sales milestone payments, as well as potential tiered royalties on net sales of collaboration therapies.

"At Caris, we are committed to making precision medicine a reality for all patients. This innovative collaboration with Genentech is specifically designed to identify and validate novel targets in solid tumors. By combining Caris' unparalleled multimodal data and tissue-based discovery engine with Genentech's deep expertise in therapeutics development, we hope to enable the development of first-in-class medicines for cancer patients," said Milan Radovich, PhD, Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Caris.

"Roche and Genentech are driven by a profound vision - a future where cancer can be cured," said Boris L. Zaïtra, Head of Roche Corporate Business Development. "We have successfully led many fundamental scientific advances in oncology. As we continue to bring forth transformative medicines, collaborations with partners such as Caris allow us to pursue future innovation for patients with unmet needs."

Caris is able to leverage insights from its extensive repository of nearly 500,000 solid tumor samples, along with matched comprehensive molecular and clinical data, to offer sophisticated and flexible target discovery capabilities leveraging both tissue-based and data-centric techniques to biopharma partners. Caris Discovery scientists use an integrated bioinformatics and wet-lab workflow, which combines interrogation of solid tissue and cell-based systems with multimodal data to validate prioritized targets and help advance the development of next generation therapies.

About Caris Life Sciences  
Caris Life Sciences® (Caris) is a leading, patient-centric, next-generation AI TechBio company and precision medicine pioneer that is actively developing and commercializing innovative solutions to transform healthcare. Through comprehensive molecular profiling (Whole Exome and Whole Transcriptome Sequencing) and the application of advanced AI and machine learning algorithms at scale, Caris has created the large-scale, multimodal clinico-genomic database and computing capability needed to analyze and further unravel the molecular complexity of disease. This convergence of next-generation sequencing, AI and machine learning technologies, and high-performance computing provides a differentiated platform to develop the latest generation of advanced precision medicine diagnostic solutions for early detection, diagnosis, monitoring, therapy selection and drug development.  

Caris was founded with a vision to realize the potential of precision medicine in order to improve the human condition. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Caris has offices in Phoenix, New York, Cambridge (MA), Tokyo, Japan and Basel, Switzerland. Caris or its distributor partners provide services in the U.S. and other international markets.  

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our strategy, benefits of our collaboration with Genentech and potential milestone payments. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "may," "will," "should," "would," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "potential," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or similar expressions. 

You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information currently available to us, we cannot guarantee that the future results, discoveries, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control. Potential milestone payments described herein are contingent upon Genentech's discretionary advancement decisions at multiple stages and achievement of development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, with no assurance that any targets will progress through the full pipeline.  Risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release include, among other things: the parties' ability to successfully execute the research plan and achieve target discovery milestones; Genentech's decisions regarding target designation, acceptance, and licensing; technical challenges in target validation and regulatory requirements relating to drug development; the uncertainty in translating research discoveries into commercial products and the risk that targets do not progress through the full development pipeline or result in further payments to Caris; developments in the precision medicine industry; our future financial performance, results of operations or other operational results or metrics; development, analytical and clinical validation, timing and performance of future solutions by us and our competitors; commercial market acceptance for our solutions, including acceptance of preventive as well as diagnostic testing paradigms, and our ability to meet resulting demand; the rapidly evolving competitive environment in which we operate; third-party payer reimbursement and coverage decisions related to our solutions; risks related to data management, storage, and processing capabilities and our ability to integrate and deploy artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics technologies; our ability to protect and enhance our intellectual property; regulatory requirements, decisions or approvals (including the timing and conditions thereof) related to our solutions; reliance on third-party suppliers; risks related to data security, patient privacy, and compliance with healthcare data protection regulations as well as potential cybersecurity threats to our data platforms; our compliance with laws and regulations; the outcome of government investigations and litigation; risks related to our indebtedness; and our ability to hire and retain key personnel as well as risks, uncertainties, and other factors described in the section titled "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on or about November 5, 2025, and in our other filings we make with the SEC from time to time. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in events, circumstances or our beliefs after the date of this press release, except as required by law.

Caris Life Sciences Media:   
Corporate Communications 
CorpComm@CarisLS.com 
214.294.5606  

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SOURCE Caris Life Sciences

FAQ

What did Caris (CAI) announce on December 16, 2025 with Genentech?

Caris announced a multi-year collaboration and license to identify and validate novel oncology targets in solid tumors.

How much is Caris (CAI) eligible to receive from the Genentech collaboration?

Caris is eligible for $25 million upfront and near-term payments and up to $1.1 billion in potential milestone payments plus potential tiered royalties.

What data and sample resources will Caris use under the CAI–Genentech agreement?

Caris will leverage its multimodal clinico-genomic database and nearly 500,000 solid tumor samples with matched molecular and clinical data.

Will the CAI–Genentech deal guarantee new cancer drugs?

No; the agreement provides pathways for target discovery and validation, but milestone payments and commercial outcomes are contingent.

How long is the collaboration between Caris (CAI) and Genentech?

The announcement describes the arrangement as a multi-year collaboration and license agreement.