Neuroscience & Immunology

Our team identifies novel biological targets and transforms these targets into drugs for people living with autoimmune and neuroinflammatory conditions. Through deep biological analyses, we deconvolute the molecular mechanisms of diseases. We leverage multiple types of big data including RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, proteomics, epigenetics, real world data and genetics using computational methods to examine interactions within the molecular and cellular networks of the immune system.

We validate promising drug targets using cellular based assays, genetic manipulation, and other cutting-edge immunological technologies. Working with human samples, we evaluate drug target potential in multiple autoimmune and neuroinflammatory conditions and define decision-critical criteria for drug targets to enter the drug development portfolio.  

Our team works with Discovery & Development Technologies to develop the best therapeutic modality to expand the range of druggable targets, and to develop the most relevant assays and best readouts to move targets quickly through our pipeline. We are curious and bold about advancing new science, and strategically provide the biological expertise to support the development of the drug through clinical development and launch. 

Meet our team

Our mission is to develop differentiated medicines for autoimmune and neuroinflammatory diseases through mechanism-based approaches to enhance our deep understanding of disease pathophysiology. 

We investigate the human innate and adaptive immune system using primary in vitro cell-based assays and leverage cutting-edge technologies including multiple omics platforms (e.g., transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, auto-antibody profile etc.) to profile patient blood and tissue samples obtained from both internal  Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, clinical trials and external sources.

We partner with the bioinformatics team to analyze these omics datasets enabling identification of novel therapeutic targets to reinstate immune homeostasis and to support precision medicine approaches.  As a result, we identify patient subsets based on their molecular profiles and map portfolio assets to these patient subsets by implementing sophisticated biomarker approaches. Our bench-to-bedside and bedside-to-bench approaches enable target engagement, pharmacodynamic and patient selection approaches for clinical trials and lay the foundation for precision immunology.

Meet our team

Our team performs preclinical pharmacology studies using in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro models of autoimmune and neurological diseases to progress molecules through our drug discovery pipeline from concept generation to clinical trials.

We use both genetic and pharmacological tools for target validation, optimization of candidate drugs, and identification of biomarkers for clinical studies. Our work thus is an integral part of the drug discovery effort in TIP Neuroscience & Immunology.

Meet our team