Case Study: Merrimack Pharmaceuticals achieves an 80% reduction in drug discovery time with MathWorks

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Reduces Drug Discovery Time

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals faced the challenge of developing targeted cancer therapies by identifying and inhibiting the cell-signaling pathways that drive uncontrolled growth from massive protein‑array datasets. To move from slow, experiment-heavy workflows to a model‑based approach, Merrimack adopted MathWorks tools—including MATLAB, SimBiology, Bioinformatics Toolbox, and Statistics and Machine Learning Toolbox—to translate quantitative biology into actionable models.

Using MathWorks software, Merrimack built data‑driven pathway models, ran simulations to identify optimal inhibition strategies, guided dosing and pharmacokinetic analysis, and prioritized experiments and biomarkers. The MathWorks‑enabled Network Biology platform cut drug discovery time by 80% (a team of six produced seven drug candidates in under three years), shortened the learning curve, and created an integrated development platform now being expanded across the company.

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals

Birgit Schoeberl

Director of Network Biology