Nvidia, the prominent microprocessing giant based in Silicon Valley, has expanded its presence in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven life sciences by initiating a new collaboration in AI drug discovery with Roche’s Genentech subsidiary.
The partnership aims to accelerate the process of drug discovery and development by leveraging the combined AI capabilities of both companies. Nvidia’s advanced computing technologies will be integrated with Genentech’s extensive biological and molecular datasets, along with their expertise in research.
During a media briefing on the collaboration, John Marioni, PhD, the senior vice president and head of computational sciences at Genentech Research and Early Development (gRED), expressed enthusiasm about the partnership with Nvidia. He highlighted the potential of accelerated computing and AI to revolutionize the healthcare industry, particularly in the discovery and development of life-changing medicines.
Genentech, following in the footsteps of its parent company Roche, aims to evolve its generative AI models and algorithms into a cutting-edge platform. While Genentech’s AI initiatives have yet to yield a clinical candidate, the company has engaged in multiple collaborations with partners focused on developing such treatments.
The strategic collaboration between Genentech and Nvidia is poised to drive advancements in various therapeutic areas, including neuroscience and oncology, through a substantial partnership with Recursion. Genentech has also made strategic acquisitions, such as Prescient Design and partnerships with companies like Genesis Therapeutics and Reverie Labs, to bolster its AI capabilities in drug discovery.
In this collaboration, Genentech plans to enhance its machine learning algorithms using NVIDIA DGX™ Cloud, a specialized platform tailored for generative AI applications in drug discovery. The utilization of BioNeMo™, a cloud-based generative AI service, is expected to streamline the process of drug discovery and design.
Genentech’s pipeline encompasses a wide range of therapeutic areas, including immunology, infectious diseases, neuroscience, oncology, and ophthalmology, aligning with Roche’s focus on additional areas like hematology, rare diseases, respiratory conditions, and women’s health.
The collaboration with Nvidia will also accelerate Genentech’s innovative “lab-in-a-loop” approach, which integrates experimental data into computational models to enhance the development of therapies. This iterative process relies on proprietary and public data, combined with expertise in biological sciences, clinical research, AI, and computation.
Genentech emphasized that the partnership will prioritize the control and confidentiality of its proprietary data, ensuring that Nvidia accesses the data only as required for specific projects with Genentech’s approval.
Kimberly Powell, vice president of healthcare at Nvidia, highlighted the vast potential for discovery within the molecular space, emphasizing the role of generative AI in navigating this complex landscape. The collaboration with Genentech underscores Nvidia’s growing focus on AI in drug development and its commitment to advancing scientific research in this domain.
As the collaboration progresses, both companies anticipate continuous knowledge exchange and advancements in accelerated computing, AI, and simulation techniques to drive innovation in the drug discovery process. The partnership is set to span multiple years, fostering a collaborative environment for pioneering advancements in healthcare and technology.
