Recursion (formerly Exscientia)

Oxford, United Kingdom All United Kingdom companies → — Founded 2012

Biotech / Drug Discovery Specialty-Focused AI

Acquired

About Recursion (formerly Exscientia)

Exscientia, now part of Recursion, is a pioneering pharmatech company that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to revolutionize drug discovery and design. Their approach integrates generative AI algorithms for in silico compound design with automated robotics for synthesizing drug candidates. This innovative methodology, built on platforms like AWS, aims to significantly accelerate the drug discovery process, reduce costs, and improve the quality of drug candidates by minimizing the number of compounds that need to be synthesized and tested. Exscientia’s platform, often referred to as Centaur Chemist or Centaur AI, focuses on precision design, working backward from patient needs to define target product profiles and predict molecular features for safe and effective drugs.

The company’s AI-driven process is designed to be more efficient and productive than conventional methods, which can take up to 15 years and cost billions of dollars with high failure rates. By encoding vast amounts of information on biological targets and molecular structures, Exscientia’s AI can process data and identify a small set of diverse molecules for testing, drastically reducing the number of compounds required to reach clinical trials. This has led to a significant reduction in drug design timelines, cutting the industry average from 4.5 years to as little as 12 to 15 months, and decreasing capital costs by up to 80%. Exscientia has successfully advanced AI-designed small molecules into clinical trials, demonstrating the real-world impact of their technology.

Focus Areas

AI-driven drug discovery precision medicine small molecule drug design oncology rare diseases inflammatory diseases

Business Intelligence

Technology

AI-native platform, Centaur AI platform, AWS technologies, generative AI, active learning, machine learning, physics-based systems, large language models (via Amazon Bedrock), automated small-molecule synthesis platform, AutomationStudio, DesignStudio, Design-Make-Test-Learn (DMTL) loops

Products by Recursion (formerly Exscientia)

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What the Web Says

Recursion (formerly Exscientia) is an AI-driven drug discovery and development company. The company aims to revolutionize drug development by using AI and machine learning to accelerate the process, reduce costs, and improve the success rate of finding new therapies. While they have several drugs in their pipeline and strategic partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies, some of their early clinical readouts have underwhelmed, and there are concerns about job security and work-life balance within the company.

Overall: Mixed

Strengths

AI-driven platform accelerates drug discovery and reduces costs.
Focus on precision medicine and clinically-relevant data.
Strong partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies like Genentech/Roche, Bayer, Sanofi, and Merck.
Mission-driven organization with generous benefits and pay.
Culture of collaboration and learning opportunities.
High-quality data generation through automated experiments.

Limitations

Early clinical readouts have been underwhelming, leading to concerns about the platform's effectiveness.
Significant layoffs have occurred, raising concerns about job security and management.
Poor work-life balance and demanding work environment.
Lack of mature leadership and a potentially 'cultish' company culture where disagreement is discouraged.
High cash burn and potential for further share dilution.
No approved products yet, despite being founded over a decade ago.

Based on reviews from: Reddit, Axial, Indeed.com, AWS, Seeking Alpha, Nanalyze, Endpoints News, Darden Report, GlobeNewswire, PitchBook, The Motley Fool

Last updated: 2026-10-03

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Press & Coverage

BioPharma Dive

Recursion to absorb Exscientia in 'techbio' deal

Recursion and Exscientia, both artificial intelligence firms, announced their merger in an all-stock transaction valued at $688 million, with the new entity retaining the Recursion name. The combined company aims to accelerate drug discovery and expects 10 clinical readouts in the next 18 months.

2024-08

Pharmaceutical Technology

Recursion-Exscientia merger consolidates AI in drug discovery field

The merger of Recursion Pharmaceuticals and Exscientia, two prominent AI-driven drug discovery companies, is expected to create one of the largest AI-based pipelines in the industry. This consolidation comes amidst declining valuations for both firms but aims to solidify their position in the booming AI drug discovery market.

2024-08

Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Press Release)

Recursion and Exscientia Enter Definitive Agreement to Create a Global Technology-Enabled Drug Discovery Leader with End-to-End Capabilities

Recursion and Exscientia announced a definitive agreement to combine, bringing together Recursion's scaled biology exploration with Exscientia's precision chemistry design and automated synthesis capabilities. The combined company will have approximately $850 million in cash and cash equivalents and expects annual synergies exceeding $100 million.

2024-08

AWS (Press Release)

Exscientia Launches AWS AI-powered Platform to Advance Drug Discovery

Exscientia announced an expansion of its collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to leverage AWS's AI and machine learning services for its end-to-end drug discovery and automation platform. This aims to integrate generative AI drug design and robotic lab automation to accelerate the delivery of high-quality drug candidates.

2024-07

Fierce Biotech

Exscientia cuts a quarter of staff while preserving AI-generated pipeline

Exscientia initiated efficiency measures, including a workforce reduction of approximately a quarter of its staff, to save cash while preserving its existing AI drug pipeline. This move is expected to save about $40 million annually starting in 2025.

2024-05

Synapse

Pharmaceutical AI Firm Faces Crisis: Workforce Cuts, Stock Plunge, Shareholder Litigation

Exscientia is facing internal turmoil, including the dismissal of its founder and CEO and a significant stock price drop, alongside a potential shareholder class-action lawsuit. Despite these challenges, the company remains committed to AI-driven drug discovery and its clinical-stage assets.

2024-06

Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Press Release)

Exscientia Achieves Milestones for Two Programmes in Sanofi Collaboration

Exscientia announced the advancement of two discovery programs within its collaboration with Sanofi, receiving $15 million in milestone payments. Both lead compounds met product profile requirements for the lead optimization phase and show high differentiation.

2024-10

Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Press Release)

Exscientia Announces AI Drug Discovery Collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Exscientia announced a new multi-year collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, focusing on discovering novel small molecule drug candidates across oncology, neuroinflammation, and immunology. Exscientia is eligible to receive up to $674 million in milestones and an upfront payment of $20 million.

2023-09

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Recursion's core approach to AI-driven drug discovery, and how does it differ from traditional methods?

Recursion (formerly Exscientia) leverages a full-stack AI-driven drug discovery platform to accelerate the identification and development of novel therapeutics. Unlike traditional methods that often rely on serendipity and extensive manual screening, Recursion's approach integrates AI and automation across the entire drug discovery pipeline, from target identification to lead optimization, aiming for increased efficiency and a higher probability of success.

How does Recursion ensure the precision and efficacy of its AI-designed small molecule drugs, particularly in oncology and rare diseases?

Recursion utilizes its AI platform to design small molecule drugs with high precision by analyzing vast datasets of biological and chemical information. This allows for the identification of compounds with specific activity against disease targets, which is crucial for developing effective treatments in complex areas like oncology and rare diseases. The platform aims to predict drug behavior and optimize properties to enhance efficacy and minimize off-target effects.

What specific products or drug candidates does Recursion currently have in its pipeline for oncology, rare diseases, and inflammatory diseases?

Recursion has a pipeline of drug candidates across various therapeutic areas, including oncology, rare diseases, and inflammatory diseases. While specific product names and their current development phases would require a detailed pipeline review, the company's focus is on advancing these candidates through preclinical and clinical stages using its AI-driven approach.

How does Recursion address regulatory compliance and data security given the sensitive nature of patient data and drug development?

Recursion prioritizes regulatory compliance and data security by implementing robust protocols and adhering to industry best practices. This includes safeguarding sensitive patient and research data through secure infrastructure, encryption, and strict access controls, ensuring compliance with relevant healthcare regulations and data privacy laws throughout the drug development process.

What is Recursion's pricing model for its drug candidates or potential partnerships, and how does it impact healthcare costs?

Recursion's pricing model for its drug candidates and partnerships would typically involve a combination of upfront payments, milestone payments, and royalties, common in the pharmaceutical industry. The company's aim to develop more efficient and targeted therapies could potentially lead to more cost-effective treatments in the long run by reducing development failures and accelerating time to market.

What kind of support and collaboration does Recursion offer to healthcare providers or research institutions interested in precision medicine initiatives?

Recursion actively seeks collaborations with healthcare providers and research institutions to advance precision medicine. This can involve partnerships for clinical trials, data sharing agreements to enhance AI model training, and scientific collaborations to explore novel therapeutic avenues. The company aims to provide scientific and technical support to its partners.

What is the long-term stability and vision of Recursion as a company in the rapidly evolving AI drug discovery landscape?

Recursion demonstrates strong long-term stability and a clear vision within the AI drug discovery landscape, backed by significant investments and strategic partnerships. The company's continuous innovation in AI and automation, coupled with a growing pipeline, positions it as a key player in transforming drug discovery and development for the future.

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