M^4olGen: Multi-Agent, Multi-Stage Molecular Generation under Precise Multi-Property Constraints
On the map: LLM agents and tool use → Medical and scientific domain agents
Abstract (arXiv)
Generating molecules that satisfy precise numeric constraints over multiple physicochemical properties is critical and challenging. Although large language models (LLMs) are expressive, they struggle with precise multi-objective control and numeric reasoning without external structure and feedback. We introduce M olGen, a fragment-level, retrieval-augmented, two-stage framework for molecule generation under multi-property constraints. Stage I : Prototype generation: a multi-agent reasoner performs retrieval-anchored, fragment-level edits to produce a candidate near the feasible region. Stage II : RL-based fine-grained optimization: a fragment-level optimizer trained with Group Relative Policy Optimization (GRPO) applies one- or multi-hop refinements to explicitly minimize the property errors toward our target while regulating edit complexity and deviation from the prototype. A large, automatically curated dataset with reasoning chains of fragment edits and measured property deltas underpins both stages, enabling deterministic, reproducible supervision and controllable multi-hop reasoning. Unlike prior work, our framework better reasons about molecules by leveraging fragments and supports controllable refinement toward numeric targets. Experiments on generation under two sets of property constraints (QED, LogP, Molecular Weight and HOMO, LUMO) show consistent gains in validity and precise satisfaction of multi-property targets, outperforming strong LLMs and graph-based algorithms.
Key facts. Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in Medical and scientific domain agents, one of 16 directions in LLM agents and tool use. Builds on 27 of its 58 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 15 Jan 2026.
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Other references · 26
- 2017Proximal Policy Optimization Algorithmscited by 15,215
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- 2018Optimization of Molecules via Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 200
- 2020MoFlow: An Invertible Flow Model for Generating Molecular Graphscited by 185
- 2024Graph Chain-of-Thought: Augmenting Large Language Models by Reasoning on Graphscited by 119
- 2022Multi-Objective GFlowNetscited by 101
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- 2023DrugAssist: A Large Language Model for Molecule Optimizationcited by 59
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Citing papers per year: 2026: 3.
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- 2024Crossing New Frontiers: Knowledge-Augmented Large Language Model Prompting for Zero-Shot Text-Based De Novo Molecule Design