On Sunday, the Financial Times reported that AstraZenica, the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker, has linked up with US artificial intelligence (AI) biologics firm Absci, in a deal worth $247 million, which will search for an antibody to fight cancer.

The report said that the deal will seek to use Absci’s AI technology to perform large-scale protein analysis in a search for a viable antibody which will treat cancers, which is a leading research focus of AstraZenica. The report did not specify the specific type of cancer the two companies will target.

Neither Absci or AstraZenica responded immediately to media inquiries regarding the deal.

The deal will feature an upfront payment to Absci, research and development funding, as well as milestone payments and royalties on the sales of any products the deal generates, according to the Financial Times.

Absci’s founder and chief executive, Sean McClain, was quoted in the article noting the the potential for success would be improved, and the time spent in development would be shortened by the application of engineering principles to the discovery of any drugs.

Absic’s business helps to design optimal drug candidates based on affinity for target motifs, safety, ease of manufacture, and other factors through the use of its generative artificial intelligence technologies.