Novartis launched a research and licensing collaboration with Unnatural Products to apply UNP’s AI‑guided macrocyclic peptide discovery platform to cardiovascular targets. The deal includes up to $1.8 billion in milestones plus upfront payments and tiered royalties, and Novartis will take responsibility for IND‑enabling and clinical development. UNP’s platform combines computational design, high‑throughput synthesis and direct‑to‑biology screening to pursue targets considered difficult for small molecules or antibodies. The agreement signals Big Pharma appetite for peptide modalities that aim to hit ‘undruggable’ pockets, and it underscores the growing role of AI‑driven chemistry engines in asset generation and large collaboration structures.