Lilly launches TuneLab platform to give biotechnology companies access to AI-enabled drug discovery models built through over $1 billion in research investment

Rhea-AI Summary

Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) has launched Lilly TuneLab, an AI/ML platform providing biotech companies access to drug discovery models trained on Lilly's extensive research data valued at over $1 billion. The platform, part of Lilly Catalyze360's offerings, employs federated learning to allow biotechs to utilize Lilly's AI capabilities while protecting proprietary data.

The platform is trained on comprehensive datasets including drug disposition, safety, and preclinical data from hundreds of thousands of unique molecules. Partner companies will contribute training data to continuously improve the ecosystem. Future releases will include in vivo small molecule predictive models available exclusively on TuneLab.

Positive

• Investment of over $1 billion in proprietary research data being leveraged for AI models
• Platform enables smaller biotech companies to access enterprise-level AI capabilities
• Federated learning approach protects both Lilly's and partners' proprietary data
• Continuous improvement through partner contributions to the ecosystem
• Platform includes comprehensive data from hundreds of thousands of unique molecules

Negative

• Partners must contribute their own training data to access the platform
• Initial release has limited features with key capabilities planned for future updates

Insights

Pharmaceutical Technology Strategist

Lilly's TuneLab platform democratizes AI drug discovery by giving biotechs access to $1B+ worth of proprietary research data, potentially accelerating innovation industry-wide.

Lilly's launch of TuneLab represents a significant shift in how pharmaceutical giants approach their proprietary AI capabilities and datasets. By opening access to AI models trained on an estimated $1 billion worth of proprietary research data, Lilly is effectively democratizing advanced drug discovery tools that were previously inaccessible to smaller biotechs. This platform addresses a fundamental barrier in the industry: while AI promises to revolutionize drug discovery, most smaller companies lack the massive datasets required to build effective models.

The federated learning approach is particularly noteworthy - it creates a collaborative ecosystem where biotechs can benefit from Lilly's models without exposing their intellectual property, while still contributing to the system's improvement. This creates a virtuous cycle of continuous enhancement while preserving competitive advantages.

Strategically, this positions Lilly as an innovation enabler rather than just a competitor in the biotech space. TuneLab joins Lilly's broader Catalyze360 initiative, which includes venture capital (Lilly Ventures), laboratory facilities (Gateway Labs), and development expertise (ExploR&D). This comprehensive support system allows Lilly to maintain visibility across emerging biotech innovations while potentially creating licensing opportunities and partnership channels for promising discoveries.

For the industry, this could significantly compress drug development timelines by helping biotechs avoid experimental dead-ends earlier. By turning decades of experimental data into actionable intelligence, TuneLab could substantially improve success rates in an industry where approximately 90% of drug candidates fail in development. The planned expansion to include in vivo predictive models suggests Lilly intends to further enhance the platform's capabilities, potentially making it an essential tool in modern drug discovery.

Program provides access to Lilly-trained artificial intelligence to help accelerate breakthrough medicines

New offering expands Lilly Catalyze360's support for early-stage drug development

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) today announced the launch of Lilly TuneLab, an artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) platform that provides biotech companies access to drug discovery models trained on years of Lilly's research data. Lilly estimates that this first release of AI models includes proprietary data obtained at a cost of over $1 billion, representing one of the industry's most valuable datasets used to train an AI system available to biotechnology companies. 

"Lilly has spent decades building comprehensive datasets for drug discovery. Today, we're sharing the intelligence gained from that investment to help lift the tide of biotechnology research," said Daniel Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D., chief scientific officer, and president, Lilly Research Laboratories and Lilly Immunology. "Lilly TuneLab was created to be an equalizer so that smaller companies can access some of the same AI capabilities used every day by Lilly scientists. By opening up access, we hope to accelerate the creation of new medicines for patients who need them." 

Lilly TuneLab is powered by Lilly's full drug disposition, safety, and preclinical datasets representing experimental data obtained with hundreds of thousands of unique molecules. In return for access, selected biotech partners contribute training data, which fuels continuous improvement for the benefit of others in the ecosystem and ultimately patients. The platform is hosted by a third-party and employs federated learning, a privacy-preserving approach that enables biotechs to tap into Lilly's AI models without directly exposing their proprietary data or Lilly's. Lilly TuneLab was developed through partnerships with leading global technology providers and AI/ML experts. Lilly intends to extend the platform's features and capabilities beyond this first release, including adding in vivo small molecule predictive models, available exclusively on Lilly TuneLab.

Lilly TuneLab is the newest addition to Lilly Catalyze360's set of offerings for Lilly's biotech partners, which includes strategic capital through Lilly Ventures, state-of-the-art laboratory facilities at Lilly Gateway Labs, and drug development expertise via Lilly ExploR&D.

"For many early-stage biotech companies, the promise of AI and machine learning in drug discovery remains just that — a promise. While the industry buzzes about the power of AI/ML to accelerate innovation, most small biotechs face a fundamental hurdle: they simply don't have access to the large-scale, high-quality data needed to impact decisions and train truly effective models," said Nisha Nanda, Ph.D., group vice president and head, Lilly Catalyze360. "With Lilly TuneLab we're not just sharing resources, we are also compressing decades of learning into instantly accessible intelligence. Through this platform, we can help our biotech partners unlock novel scientific insights, make smart development decisions earlier, and increase their likelihood of success." 

To learn more about Lilly TuneLab and explore partnership opportunities, visit tunelab.lilly.com.

About Lilly
Lilly is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. We've been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our medicines help tens of millions of people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care; treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects; advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease; providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders; and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable. To learn more, visit Lilly.com and Lilly.com/news, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. P-LLY

Trademarks and Trade Names
All trademarks or trade names referred to in this press release are the property of the company, or, to the extent trademarks or trade names belonging to other companies are references in this press release, the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this press release are referred to without the ^® and ™ symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that the company or, to the extent applicable, their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, the company's or their rights thereto. We do not intend the use or display of other companies' trademarks and trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.

Lilly Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about Lilly Catalyze360 and Lilly TuneLab and reflects Lilly's current beliefs and expectations. However, there can be no assurance that Lilly Catalyze360 and/or Lilly TuneLab will achieve Lilly's objectives or that Lilly will execute its strategy as planned. For further discussion of risks and uncertainties relevant to Lilly's business that could cause actual results to differ from Lilly's expectations, see Lilly's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release.

Refer to:	Chris Railey; christopher.railey@lilly.com; 857-331-4728 (Media)
	Michael Czapar; czapar_michael_c@lilly.com; 317-617-0983 (Investors)

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SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company

FAQ

What is Lilly TuneLab and how much data investment does it represent?

Lilly TuneLab is an AI/ML platform that gives biotech companies access to drug discovery models trained on Lilly's research data, representing over $1 billion in research investment.

How does Lilly TuneLab protect company data privacy?

The platform uses federated learning, a privacy-preserving approach that allows biotechs to use Lilly's AI models without directly exposing their proprietary data or Lilly's data.

What types of data are included in Lilly TuneLab's training models?

The platform includes drug disposition, safety, and preclinical datasets representing experimental data from hundreds of thousands of unique molecules.

What are the requirements for biotech companies to access Lilly TuneLab?

Selected biotech partners must contribute training data to the platform, which helps fuel continuous improvement for the benefit of the entire ecosystem.

What future features are planned for Lilly TuneLab?

Lilly plans to add in vivo small molecule predictive models exclusively available on Lilly TuneLab in future releases.