Novartis struck a multi‑program discovery collaboration with Relation, a London‑based AI‑enabled biotech, for immuno‑dermatology target identification worth up to $1.7 billion in milestones plus an upfront package. Novartis will lead development and commercialization of resulting targets while Relation will run patient‑derived multi‑omic studies using its Lab‑in‑the‑Loop platform. The deal includes an immediate $55 million package and potential downstream payments and royalties. Novartis emphasized the collaboration’s intent to accelerate causal gene discovery and reduce clinical attrition by integrating AI with functional experimental systems. The agreement signals Big Pharma’s ongoing appetite to combine AI‑driven discovery with patient‑derived biology to de‑risk target selection in large, competitive immunology franchises.