Neoclease Awarded Merck’s 2025 North American Advance Biotech Grant for Pioneering Gene-Editing Therapies Targeting Parkinson’s Disease
Merck, a globally recognized leader in science and technology, has officially announced that Neoclease, an emerging biotech startup based in Boston, has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 North American Advance Biotech Grant. The grant recognizes Neoclease for its groundbreaking work in developing AI-powered gene-editing therapies aimed at treating Parkinson’s disease—a progressive neurological condition that affects millions of people globally and currently lacks disease-modifying treatment options.
The announcement marks a significant milestone for both companies, illustrating the growing synergy between artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and therapeutic innovation. Neoclease’s selection highlights the biotech industry’s movement toward personalized, high-precision medicine, driven by advanced computational tools and a deeper understanding of human genetics.
A Transformative Step in Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment
Neoclease has emerged as a key player in the evolving landscape of biotech innovation. Founded by a team of bioengineers, computational biologists, and neurologists, the company is on a mission to tackle some of the most challenging diseases of our time through AI-designed gene therapies. At the heart of their work lies a proprietary gene-editing platform that leverages generative AI and synthetic biology to engineer targeted therapies.
Their leading investigational therapy, NCX-L2, is currently in preclinical development. It is designed to slow, halt, or potentially reverse the progression of Parkinson’s disease by editing genetic mutations that play a central role in the disease’s onset and advancement. Unlike conventional treatments that manage symptoms through dopamine replacement or other neurological modulation, NCX-L2 aims to modify the underlying disease biology, offering a promising alternative for long-term disease control and improved quality of life for patients.
The Power of AI in Gene Therapy Design
What distinguishes Neoclease in the competitive gene therapy space is its innovative application of generative artificial intelligence. By simulating complex biological systems and protein interactions, the company’s AI platform accelerates the discovery and optimization of therapeutic gene sequences. This allows for rapid iteration, predictive modeling, and ultimately, the development of therapies that are more precise, effective, and safer for human use.
Moreover, Neoclease’s platform is modular and scalable. While their initial focus is Parkinson’s disease, the same technology can be applied to more than 6,000 monogenic diseases—conditions caused by mutations in a single gene. These include cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and Huntington’s disease, among others. The potential applications are vast, positioning Neoclease at the forefront of next-generation genomic medicine.
Merck’s Role in Empowering Biotech Innovation
Sebastian Arana, Head of Process Solutions for Merck’s Life Science business sector, spoke to the significance of the collaboration:
“We’re committed to empowering biotech innovators who are advancing transformative modalities like gene editing,” said Arana. “By combining Neoclease’s AI-designed gene-editing platform with our technologies, regulatory expertise, and process support, we aim to help accelerate new treatments that minimize side effects and maximize effectiveness for patients.”
Through the Advance Biotech Grant, Neoclease will gain more than just financial backing. The award provides comprehensive access to Merck’s scientific infrastructure and resources, which are critical for translating laboratory breakthroughs into scalable clinical products. This includes a broad portfolio of biomanufacturing products, high-quality reagents, and analytical tools.
Additionally, Neoclease will benefit from Merck’s contract testing services and personalized consultation through the M Lab™ Collaboration Center and the Emprove® Program—two strategic support systems that address common pain points in early-stage biotech development such as manufacturing scale-up, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance.
Strategic Support: M Lab™ Collaboration Center and Emprove® Program
The M Lab™ Collaboration Centers, located in key biotech hubs around the world, offer a hands-on, collaborative environment where biomanufacturing experts work directly with startups and established companies to troubleshoot challenges and optimize production workflows. These centers serve as incubators for process innovation, bridging the gap between discovery and commercialization.
Through this partnership, Neoclease will be able to simulate full-scale production scenarios, refine its protocols, and validate its processes under the guidance of Merck’s experienced scientists. This support is crucial for reducing development time, lowering production costs, and minimizing risk as the company prepares for clinical trials and eventual regulatory submissions.
The Emprove® Program, meanwhile, provides comprehensive documentation and quality control frameworks to help companies meet global regulatory standards. This is especially important in gene therapy, where regulatory scrutiny is high due to the complexity and novelty of the treatment modalities. By leveraging the Emprove® Program, Neoclease can streamline its compliance workflows and better navigate the evolving regulatory landscape in the U.S., Europe, and beyond.
The Advance Biotech Grant Program: Fueling Innovation Since 2014
The Advance Biotech Grant Program was launched by Merck in 2014 with the goal of supporting early-stage biotech companies that are developing cutting-edge therapies. Over the past decade, the program has awarded grants and technical support to more than 40 companies across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. These companies span a wide range of therapeutic areas including oncology, immunology, cardiology, and neurology.
The grant is awarded based on scientific merit, potential for clinical impact, scalability of the technology, and alignment with Merck’s mission to improve global health through innovation. Each recipient gains access not only to Merck’s products but also to a collaborative relationship that fosters growth and accelerates time-to-market for novel therapeutics.
Neoclease joins a growing list of innovative biotech firms that have used the grant as a springboard to success, moving from preclinical development to clinical trials and even commercialization in some cases. The grant has proven to be a powerful tool in helping small startups overcome the resource-intensive hurdles of biopharmaceutical development.
Looking ahead, Merck plans to continue its commitment to global innovation by expanding the program’s reach. The next grant announcements are expected later this year, with upcoming awards scheduled for biotech firms in the Asia-Pacific region in October and in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in November. These expansions reflect Merck’s belief in the universality of innovation and the need to support breakthrough science wherever it emerges.
The Road Ahead for Neoclease
Winning the 2025 North American Advance Biotech Grant represents more than just an accolade for Neoclease—it provides critical momentum for a company poised to disrupt the gene therapy landscape. With additional technical support and access to world-class biomanufacturing expertise, the company is now better equipped to scale its operations, engage with regulators, and move its lead candidate NCX-L2 into human clinical trials.
Furthermore, the partnership with Merck adds significant credibility to Neoclease’s scientific platform, potentially opening doors for future funding rounds, strategic partnerships, and clinical collaborations. In an increasingly crowded biotech market, such endorsements can serve as powerful differentiators that attract interest from investors, healthcare providers, and even large pharmaceutical companies.
The broader implication of Neoclease’s work is the shift toward personalized, causative treatments in medicine. By addressing the genetic root of disease rather than simply managing its manifestations, the company is helping to usher in a new era of therapeutic design—one that promises to change how we think about disease prevention and recovery.
A New Chapter in Biotech Innovation
The partnership between Merck and Neoclease represents a convergence of innovation, scientific rigor, and shared vision. It underscores the importance of strategic collaboration in accelerating therapeutic discovery and development, particularly in emerging areas like gene editing and AI-driven biology.
As Neoclease continues to build on its platform and expand its therapeutic pipeline, the support from Merck will play a critical role in transforming its vision into reality. Together, these two companies exemplify the future of biotech: a future driven by data, engineered by biology, and focused on curing the incurable.
In recognizing Neoclease through the 2025 Advance Biotech Grant, Merck reaffirms its commitment to enabling the next generation of life science pioneers—and bringing hope to patients around the world who are still waiting for effective treatments.
