Pfizer Inc. and Adaptive Biotechnologies Corp. entered into two non‑exclusive agreements on December 15, 2025 that give Pfizer access to Adaptive’s proprietary T‑cell receptor (TCR) discovery platform and license its extensive TCR‑antigen dataset. The first agreement focuses on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, allowing Pfizer to identify disease‑specific TCRs and pursue new therapeutic targets. The second agreement provides Pfizer with the data needed to train artificial‑intelligence and machine‑learning models for a broad range of immunology applications.
Under the RA target‑discovery agreement, Adaptive will lead the identification of candidate TCRs while Pfizer will develop and commercialize any resulting therapies. The partnership includes the possibility of up to $890 million in milestone payments to Adaptive, underscoring the financial upside for the biotech company and the strategic value of the platform to Pfizer’s pipeline.
The data‑licensing agreement gives Pfizer a rich resource of TCR‑antigen interactions that can accelerate the development of next‑generation immunotherapies. By integrating this dataset into its AI and machine‑learning workflows, Pfizer aims to enhance its drug‑discovery efficiency and expand its immunology portfolio beyond its existing oncology and vaccine businesses.
Pfizer’s decision to partner with Adaptive aligns with its broader strategy to deepen its immunology and inflammation focus. The company has a long history of developing RA treatments, including the JAK inhibitor tofacitinib, and the new collaboration signals a continued commitment to this therapeutic area. Leveraging Adaptive’s AI‑enabled platform also positions Pfizer to compete more effectively in a rapidly evolving market where data‑driven approaches are becoming essential for therapeutic innovation.
The announcement was well received by investors, reflecting confidence in the partnership’s potential to unlock new therapies and generate significant milestone payments. The collaboration is expected to strengthen Pfizer’s competitive position in the immunology market and provide a new revenue stream as the company moves beyond its COVID‑era portfolio.
"Using our AI‑enabled immune‑medicine platform, Adaptive has amassed a treasure trove of immune receptor data along with an enhanced understanding of T‑cell biology. This deep and well‑characterized immune system data has the potential to inform discoveries across immunology programs that may lead to next‑generation therapeutics in RA," said Chad Robins, CEO and co‑founder of Adaptive Biotechnologies.
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