Novartis struck a research and licensing collaboration with Unnatural Products to access an AI‑driven macrocyclic peptide discovery platform, obligating up to $1.8 billion in milestones and paying roughly $100 million upfront and pre‑IND fees. The program targets cardiovascular disease and aims to address traditionally undruggable protein surfaces. UNP combines AI‑guided design with massively parallel synthesis and direct‑to‑biology screening; Novartis will run IND‑enabling studies and lead clinical development and commercialization. The deal expands Big Pharma’s strategy to source modality innovation from specialized biotech platforms. The partnership underscores industry momentum behind macrocycles as an intermediary modality between small molecules and biologics, with investors and partners focused on oral bioavailability and target reach.