Boston – September 15, 2026 -- EMD Serono, Inc., the U.S. and Canada healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has acquired two preclinical fertility drug programs from PostEra, a biotechnology company that uses artificial intelligence for small-molecule drug discovery.
EMD Serono takes over two AI-derived fertility programs from PostEra
The deal covers a class of follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) agonists for ovarian stimulation in IVF and a separate class of luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) agonists targeting male infertility and ovulation triggering in IVF. Both programs were developed over the past two years using PostEra's Proton AI platform and remain in preclinical development, with safety and efficacy in humans not yet established.
Programs could shift IVF treatment from injectables to oral dosing
Current fertility treatments for FSHR and LHCGR targets rely almost entirely on injectable biologics. In preclinical studies, PostEra's LHCGR agonist showed potential as an oral monotherapy alternative to injectable hCG treatments for select male infertility patients. Combining the FSHR and LHCGR agonists could convert existing IVF protocols from injection-based regimens to a fully oral therapy.
EMD Serono gains sole global rights to develop and commercialize the assets
Following completion of the transaction, EMD Serono will assume sole responsibility for further development and potential worldwide commercialization of both programs. PostEra's chief scientific officer, Dr. Lee, said the transaction validates both the market potential in women's health and reproductive endocrinology and the ability of the Proton platform to generate clinical-grade compounds against difficult targets that have seen little small-molecule progress in recent decades.
"Our benchmark for AI at PostEra has always been high-quality chemical matter," said Aaron Morris, chief executive officer of PostEra. "We're pleased that EMD Serono, a globally recognized player in this space, will advance these programs further."