In a significant development for gene therapy and artificial intelligence in healthcare, MeiraGTx has announced a strategic partnership with AI firm Hologen to establish a new joint venture focused on developing treatments for Parkinson’s disease and obesity. The collaboration, revealed on March 13, 2025, combines MeiraGTx’s gene therapy expertise with Hologen’s artificial intelligence capabilities.
The newly formed company, Hologen Neuro AI, will receive $230 million in funding from Hologen to advance the development of MeiraGTx’s therapeutic programs. The deal structure includes a $200 million upfront payment to MeiraGTx, along with a 30% ownership stake in the joint venture.
Hologen, whose leadership includes former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and QuantHouse co-founder Pierre-François Filet, will contribute its proprietary generative AI technology to enhance drug development. The venture aims to revolutionize how therapies targeting central nervous system circuitry are discovered and developed.
MeiraGTx is transferring several key assets to the joint venture, including its advanced Parkinson’s disease gene therapy, which has completed mid-stage clinical testing. The company is also contributing early-stage research programs, notably a potential obesity treatment targeting brain regions involved in appetite control.
Under the agreement, MeiraGTx will maintain significant operational involvement, leading clinical development efforts and handling manufacturing operations. The company will serve as the exclusive supplier of drug products for both testing and commercial purposes. Additionally, Hologen will acquire a minority position in MeiraGTx’s manufacturing subsidiary, providing annual funding and applying its AI capabilities to optimize production processes.
Alexandria Forbes, CEO and co-founder of MeiraGTx, described the deal as financially transformative for her company. The arrangement not only extends MeiraGTx’s financial runway but also provides resources to accelerate the development of other programs, including a treatment for dry mouth and technology for controlling protein production.
The immediate priority for the joint venture is to enhance the design and execution of the Phase 3 study for the Parkinson’s therapy. According to Forbes, Hologen’s AI technology has already demonstrated value by analyzing existing mid-stage clinical data, potentially reducing program risks and identifying disease-modifying changes in brain function following treatment.
The timing of this partnership is particularly significant for MeiraGTx, which reported a $164 million operating loss in 2024 and held $106 million in cash and equivalents at year’s end. The market responded positively to the announcement, with MeiraGTx’s stock price rising approximately 25% to $8 per share during morning trading, continuing a trend that has seen the company’s value double over the previous six months.
This collaboration represents a growing intersection between traditional biotechnology and artificial intelligence in drug development. By combining MeiraGTx’s established gene therapy platform with Hologen’s AI capabilities, the partners aim to accelerate the development of innovative treatments for neurological conditions and metabolic disorders.
The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of 2025, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of both companies and potentially setting a new precedent for AI-driven drug development in the biotechnology sector. This partnership could serve as a model for future collaborations between traditional biotech companies and artificial intelligence firms, particularly in the development of complex therapeutic approaches such as gene therapy.