The Scripps Research Institute

What The Scripps Research Institute does

The Scripps Research Institute is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) biomedical research organization founded in 1924 and headquartered in La Jolla, California, with a second campus in Jupiter, Florida. It employs roughly 2,500 people across both sites and operates ~130 faculty-led research groups spanning chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, immunology, neuroscience, and structural biology. Its translational arm, the Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines, advances discoveries into clinical development and licenses programs to pharmaceutical partners; the Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI) focuses on individualized medicine via genomics and digital health. Revenue is generated through a mix of NIH and government grants, philanthropy, foundation awards (Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, CIRM, Michael J. Fox Foundation, etc.), and licensing/co-development income from pharma partners (AbbVie, Merck, Gilead, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb), all of which is reinvested into research under a self-renewing nonprofit model.

Scripps Research's technology base rests on five proprietary platforms: the ReFRAME open-source drug repurposing library (~12,000 approved/safety-tested compounds, six clinical-stage hits); DNA-encoded libraries of billions of compounds for difficult-to-drug targets; a long-acting drug platform (depot, prodrug, peptide stapling, antibody fusion) that has produced four clinical-stage programs; a switchable CAR-T (sCAR-T) cell therapy platform being trialed in B-cell lymphoma, metastatic breast cancer, and autoimmune disease; and a molecular glue discovery platform. Active clinical-stage programs include CMR316 (regenerative lung, Phase 1 IPF), CLF065 (GLP-2 for IBD, Phase 2), KA34 (cartilage regeneration, Phase 1 osteoarthritis), CBE161/MMV371 (long-acting malaria prevention), CLB073/TBD11 (TB, licensed to Gates MRI), sCAR-T CLBR001+SWI019, CDK2 inhibitor (breast cancer), CMZ371 (bispecific incretin), and Mpro inhibitor (COVID-19). On the AI/ML side, the institute applies protein language models (including AlphaFold-based approaches) and the AF-cluster methodology to predict protein conformational dynamics for rational drug design, combined with high-throughput computational screening for molecular glues — research-enabling rather than productized AI.

The institute's go-to-market is structured around licensing and co-development rather than product sales: Calibr-Skaggs advances candidates to IND/early clinical before handing off to pharma for late-stage development and commercialization, while SRTI develops individualized healthcare tools. Customers and funders therefore span large pharma (AbbVie, Merck, Gilead, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, ArkBio), federal agencies (NIH, DoD), and philanthropic foundations (Gates, Wellcome, CIRM, MMV, ADDF, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Prebys, Rainwater, Michael J. Fox). The institute has been ranked #2 worldwide and #1 in the US among stand-alone scientific institutes for biomedical research by Nature Index, and top-5 most innovative globally. Notable recent disruptions include the March 2025 termination of the $67M NIH Antiviral Drug Discovery program grant and the 2026 $5.1M NIH award for long-acting hepatitis B therapy as partial replacement funding.

Name

The Scripps Research Institute

Legal name

The Scripps Research Institute

Website

https://scripps.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Scripps Research Institute is a nonprofit biomedical research institute founded in 1924 with ~2,500 employees across La Jolla and Jupiter, operating the Calibr-Skaggs translational drug discovery arm and licensing clinical-stage programs to pharmaceutical partners while reinvesting revenues into basic research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biomedical Research

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Translational Medicine & Biomarkers (HLAIALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB), Target Identification & Validation Platforms (omics-driven, chemoproteomics, genetic validation) (HLAAAIAI)

Keywords

• Biomedical research
• Drug discovery
• Translational medicine
• Pharmaceutical licensing
• Scientific publications

Headquarters

HQ city

La Jolla

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Philanthropy and Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Scripps Research relies on private support and donations. The majority of each dollar contributed is applied to its research efforts. Fundraising activities are registered in California and Florida.
2. Government Grants and NIH Funding: Government grants (primarily NIH) fund basic and translational research programs. NIH awarded $67 million to lead a new pandemic preparedness center. NIH also funds the Center for Antiviral Medicines and Pandemic Preparedness (CAMPP).
3. Licensing Revenues from Drug Development Partnerships: Revenues generated from partnering medicines with pharmaceutical companies for further development are reinvested into research programs, creating a self-renewing funding source. The Calibr-Skaggs division advances therapies to clinical trials before partnering with pharma.
4. Pharmaceutical Partnerships and Collaborations: Partnerships with companies such as AbbVie, Merck, Pfizer, Gilead, and others provide funding and co-development arrangements. The Calibr-Skaggs-Merck collaboration alone exceeded $56 million in funding commitments.
5. Foundation and Nonprofit Grants: Funding from foundations including Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, CIRM, Michael J. Fox Foundation, and others supports specific disease area programs in global health, cancer, neurological diseases, and regenerative medicine.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Scripps Research Institute operates a nonprofit biomedical research organization that integrates world-class fundamental science with a translational drug discovery pipeline. Through its Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines division it advances 12 investigational new drugs into clinical trials across oncology, infectious disease, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, and metabolic disease, while the Scripps Research Translational Institute leverages genomics and digital technologies for individualized healthcare. Drug candidates and proprietary technology platforms (ReFRAME library, DNA-encoded libraries, long-acting drug platform, switchable CAR-T) are licensed to pharmaceutical partners for further development.

Product overview

The Scripps Research Institute is a nonprofit biomedical research organization that operates through two main translational institutes: the Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines (a drug discovery hub) and the Scripps Research Translational Institute (focused on individualized healthcare through genomics and digital technologies). The Calibr-Skaggs Institute pursues a diverse therapeutic pipeline including switchable CAR-T cell therapies (sCAR-T) for cancer and autoimmune diseases, regenerative medicines (CMR316 for lung disease, CLF065 for IBD, KA34 for osteoarthritis, heart and corneal regeneration programs), neurological disease programs (PDM608), global health treatments (malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, COVID-19), and inflammatory/metabolic disease candidates (CMZ371). These programs are supported by proprietary platforms including the ReFRAME drug repurposing library (~12,000 compounds), DNA-Encoded Library (DEL) screening platform, long-acting drug platform, and molecular glue discovery platform. The institute integrates basic scientific research with translational capabilities to advance treatments from discovery through clinical development, operating under a self-sustaining model that reinvests licensing revenues into research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ReFRAME Library: The largest open-source collection of drugs that have all been approved or undergone human safety testing (~12,000 and growing), enabling researchers to identify and repurpose known drugs for new indications.
• ATX-Gx Platform

Products and services

• Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines Nonprofit translational research division dedicated to accelerating the next generation of medicines for unmet needs across cancer, regenerative medicine, neurological diseases, global health, and inflammatory/metabolic diseases. Advances discoveries from preclinical through clinical development and licenses them to pharmaceutical partners.
• Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI) Translational institute leveraging human genomics combined with wireless digital technologies, fostering multidisciplinary research between basic scientists and clinical investigators to transform healthcare practice.
• ReFRAME Drug Repurposing Library The largest open-source collection of drugs that have been approved or undergone human safety testing (~12,000 and growing). Enables researchers worldwide to screen known drugs for new indications, accelerating repurposing efforts. Six drugs identified via this library have advanced into clinical trials.
• DNA-Encoded Library (DEL) Screening Platform Custom DNA-encoded libraries of billions of compounds enabling one-pot screening against high-priority targets that are difficult to drug using conventional screening approaches, combined with deep expertise in drug screening platform development.
• Long-Acting Drug Platform Platform technologies that enhance half-lives of small-molecule, peptide, and biologic therapies through injectable depots, prodrug formulations, peptide stapling, and antibody fusions. Has generated four clinical-stage programs in IBD, neurodegenerative disease, HIV, and malaria.
• Switchable CAR-T Cell Therapy Platform (sCAR-T) Switchable chimeric antigen receptor T cell immunotherapy platform with a biologic 'switch' enabling controlled activation/deactivation of CAR-T cells via small molecules, reducing toxicity vs. conventional CAR-T. Active programs for B-cell lymphomas, solid tumors, and autoimmune diseases; partnered with AbbVie.
• Molecular Glue Discovery Platform High-throughput chemical approach for systematic discovery of molecular glues - small molecules that eliminate disease-driving proteins by recruiting the cell's protein-disposal machinery. Developed by Michael Erb's lab to enable prospective identification rather than chance discovery of degraders.
• Tri-specific Antibody Platform Next-generation trispecific antibody platform designed to improve potency and tolerability for solid tumors, including breast and lung cancer.
• CLBR001 + SWI019 (sCAR-T) Switchable CAR-T immunotherapy targeting CD19 for B-cell malignancies. Completed Phase 1 (NCT04450069) for relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphomas and expanded to breast cancer and autoimmune disease applications.
• CMR316 (Regenerative Lung Medicine) First-in-class small molecule that stimulates in situ lung stem cell self-renewal and tissue regeneration to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), COPD, and acute lung injury (ARDS).
• CLF065 (Regenerative GLP-2 Therapy for IBD) Long-acting (fatty acid-stapled) glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) biologic designed to regenerate the intestinal barrier in inflammatory bowel disease with infrequent dosing.
• PDM608 (Long-Acting Neurodegenerative Therapy) Novel long-acting (antibody fusion) GM-CSF protein designed for less frequent dosing in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.
• CMZ371 (Bispecific Incretin Mimic) Next-generation oral bispecific incretin mimic combining GLP1R agonist with GIPR agonist activity for the treatment of obesity, diabetes, and liver disease (MASH).
• Mpro Inhibitor (SARS-CoV-2 Antiviral) Small molecule SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) inhibitor advanced to Phase 1 trial, with next-generation molecules in development for COVID-19 treatment.
• CLZ629 (Long-acting HIV Antiretroviral) Long-acting antiretroviral prodrug for HIV using the long-acting injectable platform to reduce dosing frequency, in development as a combination therapy with lenacapavir in partnership with Gilead.
• CBE161/MMV371 (Long-acting Malaria Preventive) Small-molecule, once-every-2-month intramuscular injectable to prevent seasonal malaria by improving compliance. Developed in partnership with Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV).
• CLB073/TBD11 (Tuberculosis Treatment) Novel small molecule derived from a ReFRAME synergy screen that enhances the pretomanid + bedaquiline treatment regimen for tuberculosis. Licensed to Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute.
• KA34 (Cartilage Regeneration Therapy for Osteoarthritis) First-in-class small-molecule stimulator of cartilage regeneration for the treatment of osteoarthritis; safe and well-tolerated in Phase 1 with funding from CIRM.
• CMR215 (Bladder Cancer STING Agonist) Intravesical small-molecule STING agonist in IND-enabling stage for treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
• CDK2 Inhibitor (Breast Cancer) Oral CDK2 inhibitor designed for individuals with ER+, HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer who were unresponsive to standard therapies.
• Heart Regeneration Program First-in-class pericardially injected small molecule that promotes in situ proliferation of terminally differentiated cardiomyocytes to repair injured heart tissue after myocardial infarction.
• Corneal Regeneration Program First-in-class small molecule that promotes corneal epithelial cell regeneration to heal persistent corneal epithelial defects.
• Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences PhD program training the next generation of scientific leaders in chemical and biological sciences; offered at the La Jolla campus and Jupiter, Florida campus for graduate students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 investigational new drugs (INDs) advanced to clinical trials since the 2018 merger of Calibr-Skaggs and Scripps Research
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• KainomyxminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2026Calibr-Skaggs and Kainomyx launched a collaboration to pioneer novel malaria treatments.
• Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2026Collaborated with researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on the study of molecular glue degraders published in Nature Chemical Biology (February 2026).
• Alloy TherapeuticscoreTechnology or Integration · 29 October 2024Alloy Therapeutics entered into a non-exclusive institutional licensing agreement with Scripps Research for its ATX-Gx platform for fully human antibody discovery and vaccine development. The platform has been used by over 170 partners and is the industry standard for fully human transgenic mouse platforms.
• AbbVie (Expanded)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2024Calibr-Skaggs and AbbVie expanded their strategic collaboration to develop novel cell therapies for solid tumors and autoimmune diseases, building on existing partnership.
• Gilead SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 January 2024Calibr announced a license agreement with Gilead to develop a long-acting HIV antiviral agent for treatment in combination with lenacapavir.
• Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2023Calibr and Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute announced a licensing agreement for a novel candidate tuberculosis treatment compound (CLB073/TBD11) that enhances the pretomanid + bedaquiline treatment for tuberculosis.
• AbbViecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2022AbbVie and Scripps Research announced collaboration to develop a broad range of new therapeutics (December 2019) and specifically antiviral treatments for COVID-19 (March 2022). Collaboration expanded to include preclinical and early-stage clinical assets across multiple therapeutic areas.
• Merck & Co., Inc.flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012The strategic collaboration between Calibr-Skaggs and Merck began in 2012, facilitating Calibr's founding and initial growth. Merck provided funding commitments exceeding $56 million to support early-stage discovery research, with Merck granted a right of first negotiation on resulting discoveries.
• Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner funding vaccine adjuvant programs and global health initiatives including malaria drug development and pandemic preparedness. Partnering on vaccine adjuvants for HIV, influenza, and COVID-19.
• Wellcome TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner supporting cryptosporidiosis drug discovery programs, with novel small molecules being optimized as promising leads.
• Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner for malaria drug development. Calibr-Skaggs is developing CBE161 (MMV371), a small-molecule once-every-2-month intramuscular injectable to prevent seasonal malaria.
• PfizerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner of Calibr-Skaggs for drug discovery collaborations.
• Bristol-Myers SquibbminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner of Calibr-Skaggs for drug discovery collaborations.
• ArkBiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner collaborating on CBK323 for ARDS and COPD treatment, a small molecule targeting inflammation to reduce tissue damage.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Largest US private biomedical research organization funding investigator-driven science at HHMI laboratories across the country. Highly comparable as a nonprofit research enterprise with similar scale, faculty model, and emphasis on high-risk fundamental discovery.
• Salk Institute for Biological Studies: Stand-alone nonprofit biomedical research institute also based in La Jolla, California, with comparable faculty size, focus areas in cancer, neuroscience, and aging, and a similar NIH-grant-driven funding model. Direct geographic and mission peer.
• Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research: MIT-affiliated nonprofit biomedical research institute focused on fundamental research and translational science with comparable faculty scale and disease-area breadth. Direct peer in mission and nonprofit research model.
• Gladstone Institutes: San Francisco-based nonprofit biomedical research organization affiliated with UCSF, focused on cardiovascular, neurological, and infectious disease. Closely comparable in scale, nonprofit translational model, and disease focus.
• Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard: Nonprofit research institute combining genomics, chemical biology, and disease-focused translational science. Comparable as a stand-alone nonprofit biomedical research enterprise with strong pharma and foundation partnerships.
• Stowers Institute for Medical Research: Nonprofit basic-research institute in Kansas City focused on gene regulation and regeneration. Comparable as a stand-alone, philanthropy-funded biomedical research organization with a small, top-tier faculty.
• Allen Institute: Philanthropy-funded nonprofit research organization producing large-scale, open-science datasets in neuroscience and cell biology. Comparable as a nonprofit research enterprise with a self-renewing funding mandate and translational ambitions.

Emerging players

• Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering: Harvard-affiliated research institute translating bioinspired engineering into therapeutic and diagnostic technologies through industry partnerships. Comparable as a nonprofit translational institute that licenses platform technologies to commercial partners.

Broad incumbents

• Regeneron Pharmaceuticals: Large biotechnology company with deep academic-style science culture, antibody discovery platforms (VelocImmune), and sustained pharma partnerships. Comparable as a research-intensive organization that converts basic science into commercially successful drugs.
• Genentech (Roche): Industry-leading biotech with a foundational academic-research culture and deep pipelines across oncology, neuroscience, and infectious disease. Comparable as an organization that bridges basic discovery and translational drug development at scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/scrippsresearch
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ScrippsResearch
• Facebookfacebook.com/220
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-scripps-research-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/scrippsresearch
• TikToktiktok.com/@scrippsresearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds10 records

Investors3 records

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about The Scripps Research Institute