Merck entered a new antibody discovery agreement with Infinimmune, a startup using AI to mine human immune cells for candidates. The pact could be worth up to $838 million in upfront and milestones if programs advance, with Merck holding exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the discovered biologics. Infinimmune’s platform is described as human-first, leveraging antibody candidates sourced from memory B-cell libraries. The company is studying targets including IL-22 and IL-13—pathways implicated across autoimmune and inflammatory conditions such as atopic dermatitis and ulcerative colitis. The deal reflects Merck’s broader strategy to diversify biologics generation pipelines through platform partnerships rather than relying solely on internal discovery.