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AbbVie is excited to announce that they are now accepting applications for the 2025 AbbVie Golden Ticket, inviting startups that are developing innovative technologies and therapeutics designed to elevate the standard of care in the following areas to apply:

• Oncology
  • Heme and solid tumor targeting and selective tumor killing
  • In vivo CAR and targeted payload delivery
  • Novel therapeutic approaches to hard-to-drug established targets in oncogenic driver signaling
• Immunology
  • In vivo CAR and targeted payload delivery
  • Tolerance induction
  • Tissue homeostasis
  • Th2 biology (also in combination with standard of care)
  • Respiratory biology (e.g., asthma)
• Aesthetics
  • Regenerative medicine
  • Targeted fat reduction
  • Hair growth
  • Body contouring and muscle preservation/growth
  • Therapeutic neurotoxin engineering
• Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Migraine and Neuropathic Pain
  • Movement disorders
  • New targets, biomarkers and blood brain barrier-penetrating technologies for cell and tissue selective payload delivery
• Therapeutic Modalities and Platform Technologies
  • Large and small molecules
  • Peptides and macrocycles
  • Genetic medicine (payload and delivery technologies)
  • Cell or tissue specific protein/RNA degraders
  • Molecular glues
  • Antibody drug conjugates (linkers and novel payloads)
  • RNA therapeutics
  • T-cell engagers
• Specialty
  • Obesity, including improved convenience, tolerability, and body composition
  • GI/hepatology (e.g., MASH)

The ideal candidate for winning an AbbVie Golden Ticket will meet the following criteria:

• Focused on science / technology with potential to generate transformational therapies in areas that align strategically with AbbVie’s therapeutic areas of interest (listed above)
• Developing the right therapeutic modality for the right patient at the right time, considering current and future competitive positioning and market fit 
   

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Exclusions: Devices, Diagnostics, Research Tools, Healthcare Services/IT, Cell therapy (auto/allo)

APPLY:
To apply, please submit your non-confidential company presentation to partnerships@labcentral.org by November 17th, 2025 11:59PM EST

In the application, please address the following:

• What is the scientific insight and approach driving your company?
• If successful, how would your therapeutic approach provide significant patient benefit beyond currently available treatment or other R&D stage programs?
• How would winning an AbbVie Golden Ticket help your company?

PITCH DECK GUIDANCE:

Please submit no more than 12 slides

Include a brief history of your company, including:

Your company’s mission statement

Why and how the company was founded

Management team and expertise

What and why collaborating with a partner is critical to your success

1. The science behind the asset
   1. The prioritized and potentially applicable uses
      1. Unique scientific value-add – What differentiates your technology from other companies in the competitive landscape?
      2. Relevant IP and publications – Include data supporting your science
      3. Mitigation of risk: What are the potential pitfalls and key challenges and what is the plan to mitigate the risks?
      4. What milestones and achievements – What do you expect to accomplish in the next 12 months
      5. The key proof of non-confidential concept data – and/or experiment that will help you reach your next inflection point
      6. Briefly describe your team – Their background, expertise, and how you will work together to achieve your near-term goals.
      7. Your longer-term plans – For example, what milestones are you focused on achieving over the next 18 months and what is the financing needed to reach these goals?
      8. The benefit of potential collaboration with AbbVie?

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• Companies must have their principal place of business in the United States or Canada or be willing to relocate
• Companies must not have a significant partnership with another large biopharmaceutical company. However, current, or prior recipients of similar awards sponsored by other pharmaceutical companies or lab spaces are eligible to apply
• Total equity funding raised must be less than $5M before receiving the Golden Ticket
• Companies must operate in the life sciences sector and have an impact on human health or therapeutic drug development

JUDGING CRITERIA:

AbbVie leaders who are qualified scientific experts in respective fields, including specialties in scientific and/or medical research and business, will review all submissions. The following criteria will form application judging criteria:

• Fit relating to the research fields of oncology, immunology, neuroscience, obesity, eye care and aesthetics. Judges will also consider novel target(s) identification, drug delivery, discovery technology platforms, and translational research and development
• Quality of the scientific data, research plan and/or technology platform
• Potential to successfully achieve research milestones and program development
• Unmet need for the research in the relevant field. Is this research/program/technology addressing a critical medical need
• Readiness to move into the laboratory location within two to six months of being selected for the award

DISCLOSURES:

The winner of the Golden Ticket will receive a $50,000 credit towards space and services at LabCentral’s site at 700 Main Street in Cambridge, MA, for use within a 13-month period from the date the winner is offered available lab space. https://www.labcentral.org/about/golden-tickets to learn more about the process and criteria. All submissions will be reviewed. The recipient will not receive any cash consideration. 

TIMELINE:

Applications close: November 17th, 2025 11:59PM EST

Application Review: November 17th-December 3rd

Finalists will be notified: By December 5th

Virtual Pitch Competition: December 15th, 2025