Boston – September 15, 2026 -- EMD Serono, Inc., the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, in the United States and Canada, has acquired two preclinical fertility drug programs from PostEra, a biotech firm built on artificial intelligence-driven small molecule discovery.
PostEra's Proton platform generated oral agonists targeting two hard-to-drug fertility receptors
The acquired programs target the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and the luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor (LHCGR), both used over two years by PostEra's AI platform Proton to design small molecule candidates for reproductive endocrinology. FSHR agonists were developed for ovarian stimulation in in vitro fertilization (IVF), while LHCGR agonists target male infertility and ovulation triggering in IVF protocols.
Preclinical data show an oral candidate could replace injectable hCG in male infertility treatment
Used alone, the LHCGR agonist demonstrated in preclinical studies that it could serve as an oral alternative to injectable hCG therapy currently used in certain male infertility patients. Combined, the FSHR and LHCGR agonists could shift IVF treatment from an injection-based protocol toward an entirely oral regimen, addressing a fertility market that has relied almost exclusively on injectable drugs.
EMD Serono takes over global development and commercialization rights
Following completion of the transaction, EMD Serono will assume full responsibility for further development and eventual global commercialization of both programs. Both remain in preclinical stage, with safety and efficacy in humans not yet established.
PostEra Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Lee said the deal confirms both the commercial potential in women's health and reproductive endocrinology and Proton's capacity to generate high-quality drug candidates against biologically validated but historically difficult targets, noting that few oral small molecule advances against FSHR and LHCGR have emerged in recent decades. PostEra Chief Executive Officer Aaron Morris said the company measures its AI platform by its ability to produce viable therapies rather than benchmark rankings, and welcomed EMD Serono's role in advancing the fertility portfolio.