XtalPi Inc. (XtalPi Holdings-P, XTALPI-P, 2228.HK) today announced a strategic cooperation agreement with JW Pharmaceutical (001060.KS), a leading Asian pharmaceutical company, valued in the tens of millions of RMB. XtalPi will provide JW with an automated drug discovery workstation and an AI-driven chemical reaction optimization platform to enhance JW’s drug development efficiency, reproducibility, and success rate. This partnership exemplifies the cutting-edge integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated experimentation in drug discovery, underscoring JW’s commitment to technological innovation and industry advancement.
Under the agreement, XtalPi will deploy a suite of high-throughput automated synthesis workstations, an AI-powered reaction condition optimization system, and an intelligent analytics platform to address JW’s complex R&D needs in automated drug candidate screening, synthesis, and process optimization. Leveraging Bayesian optimization, digital management, and automated laboratory technologies, this solution is expected to significantly improve the success rate and reproducibility of chemical synthesis, shorten drug development timelines, reduce R&D costs, and boost new drug discovery efficiency. XtalPi’s automated platform, underpinned by AI and standardized data processing, serves as next-generation infrastructure. Combined with years of technical expertise and JW Pharmaceutical’s collaboration, it aims to set a benchmark for AI-driven drug discovery.
XtalPi’s high-throughput automated synthesis laboratory, a key component of its AI for Science platform, is widely applied in drug discovery, new materials, and renewable energy. This platform effectively replaces labor-intensive synthesis operations, integrating seamlessly with AI algorithms to form a feedback loop that enhances synthesis efficiency and reproducibility while generating vast, high-precision R&D data.
XtalPi has previously secured contracts and delivered automated laboratory systems to leading clients, including Sinopec, Fudan University, and the Guangdong Laboratory of Chinese Medicine (Hengqin Laboratory). This partnership with JW marks the first overseas pharmaceutical client to procure XtalPi’s automated laboratory solutions, a significant milestone.
Dr. Park Chan-hee, Chief Technology Officer of JW Pharmaceutical, stated: “As the costs and challenges of innovative drug development continue to rise, JW Pharmaceutical’s partnership with XtalPi leverages its unique AI and robotics technology to drive innovation. We particularly value XtalPi’s automated platform’s capacity to generate thousands of synthesis experiment data points daily and its AI models’ ability to rapidly iterate and optimize JW’s compounds and synthesis pathways. This will provide a robust technical foundation for breakthrough pipeline development in oncology, metabolic diseases, and beyond, accelerating competitive drugs toward clinical research.”
Dr. Ma Jian, CEO of XtalPi, added: “This collaboration pioneers a new model for China-Korea innovation in AI-driven drug development, validating our technological strength. Our AI platform, trained on proprietary data, continuously improves chemical reaction prediction accuracy. Paired with modular robotic workstations, it enables partners to achieve high-throughput, high-precision molecular design, synthesis, and testing cycles. This partnership with JW Pharmaceutical directly empowers innovative drug discovery in Asia, marking a key step in XtalPi’s Asia-Pacific expansion and promising better, faster therapies for patients.”
In 2023, JW’s subsidiary, C&C Research Laboratories, collaborated with XtalPi on drug discovery services targeting the STAT6 protein, successfully identifying a series of highly active, drug-like lead compounds for further development. This upgraded partnership signifies a leading case of intelligent and automated drug development in Asia, opening new possibilities for AI applications and industry growth in Korea’s pharmaceutical sector.
About JW Pharmaceutical
JW Pharmaceutical is a leading Asian pharmaceutical company focused on oncology, immunotherapy, and rare disease drug development and production. Driven by innovation, JW is committed to advancing healthcare through cross-disciplinary collaboration and cutting-edge technology, striving for a healthier, happier future.
As a leader and pioneer in healthcare, JW upholds its vision of “making today’s impossibilities possible tomorrow through innovative technology.” It actively invests in advanced R&D and applications, continuously pushing the boundaries of drug discovery. With a global strategy, JW has expanded its market influence, achieving historic profit growth in 2023 to become Korea’s most profitable pharmaceutical company, solidifying its leadership in both Korean and global markets.
