ProQR Therapeutics N.V. and Ginkgo Bioworks announced a partnership that will give ProQR access to Ginkgo’s autonomous laboratory, Nebula, which houses more than 50 high‑throughput instruments for rapid data generation. The collaboration is designed to accelerate the design and optimization of Axiomer editing oligonucleotides, allowing ProQR to move AI‑generated candidates into clinical development more quickly.
The deal includes a strategic equity investment from Ginkgo and the formation of an AI advisory board composed of leaders from NVIDIA, Owkin, and Hugging Face. Ginkgo’s Nebula lab, a fully automated platform, will provide ProQR with the experimental throughput needed to validate AI‑driven designs, while the advisory board will guide the company’s AI strategy for its RNA‑editing platform.
ProQR’s Axiomer technology uses the cell’s ADAR editing machinery to make precise single‑nucleotide edits in RNA. The partnership is expected to enable a clinical trial application for the company’s lead program, AX‑0810, in mid‑2026 and to deliver initial clinical data by the end of 2026. Target‑engagement data for AX‑0810 are projected for the first half of 2026, with biliary atresia selected as the initial Phase 2 indication.
Financial context shows that ProQR reported a net loss of $9.1 million in Q4 2025, missing analyst expectations, and that its cash runway extends into mid‑2027. Ginkgo reported a revenue miss in Q4 2025 and is targeting adjusted EBITDA breakeven by the end of 2026, with a 2026 cash‑burn guidance of $125‑$150 million.
Daniel A. de Boer, ProQR’s CEO, said the company has developed an AI model that accelerates and improves editing oligonucleotides, and that the partnership with Ginkgo will scale up AI‑enabled drug discovery. Ginkgo CEO Jason Kelly noted that the company is focusing on investing in autonomous labs to win in that category.
The partnership positions ProQR to shorten its discovery‑to‑clinical pipeline and strengthens its competitive stance in the RNA‑editing market. Ginkgo’s pivot to autonomous labs and the equity stake in ProQR align incentives and signal confidence in the joint approach.
No immediate market‑reaction data or analyst commentary was identified for the announcement.
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