Insilico Medicine, the biotech startup headquartered in Hong Kong and New York, has secured funding exceeding $400 million to merge biology, chemistry, and clinical trial analysis through advanced AI systems. Today, the company unveiled a new paper showcasing the groundbreaking development of what it asserts to be the inaugural AI-discovered and AI-generated drug, now progressing to Phase II clinical trials.
Published in Nature Biotechnology, the paper delves into the journey of INS018_055, a potential drug designed by Insilico’s AI platform to address idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an aggressive lung ailment. Revealing the experimental data, along with the preclinical and clinical assessments, the paper spotlights the innovative TNIK inhibitor, purportedly a pioneering discovery facilitated by generative AI technology.
Significance of AI in Drug Discovery Evidenced by Drug Advancement
Insilico’s founder and CEO, Alex Zhavoronkov, underscores the significance of this drug, emphasizing that the target identification stemmed from biology AI, while the molecular design was driven by generative chemistry AI. Leveraging the Pharma.AI platform, equipped with diverse AI models trained on extensive data sets, Insilico expedited the identification and prioritization of disease-relevant targets through PandaOmics. Additionally, the Chemistry42 engine, powered by deep learning, swiftly crafts novel potential drug compounds targeting the identified protein.
Reflecting on the journey, Zhavoronkov notes the initial skepticism within the drug discovery community regarding generative AI’s efficacy, citing the drug’s progress as a validation of Pharma.AI’s capabilities and a milestone in accelerating drug discovery through generative AI.
Remarkable Acceleration in Clinical Trial Initiation
Traditionally, drug development entails a lengthy and high-risk process involving extensive preclinical studies, animal models, and human trials, costing billions and exhibiting a high failure rate. Insilico estimates that conventional methods would have demanded over $400 million and up to six years to reach the clinical trial phase. However, with generative AI, the company achieved this milestone in merely two and a half years, significantly reducing costs and time.
Kai-Fu Lee, CEO of Sinovation Ventures and an investor in Insilico, commended the program for revolutionizing drug discovery through the efficient processing of vast data sets using generative AI in chemistry and biology.
Zhavoronkov, acknowledging the decade-long endeavor culminating in this AI-driven drug discovery breakthrough, expressed rare excitement, intending to celebrate by watching “Dune” with a sizeable serving of popcorn.
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