The article explores the transformative role of AI in medical research, particularly drug discovery, highlighting its potential to revolutionize the field. AI is being used by both startups and major pharmaceutical firms to accelerate and reduce the costs of drug development, which typically takes 10-15 years and costs over $2 billion.
Insilico Medicine, a leading player in this space, is advancing AI-designed drugs, including one for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), though none have been fully approved yet. Notable organizations like Alphabetâs Isomorphic Labs are also investing heavily in AI drug design.
AI is primarily utilized in two areas: identifying therapeutic targets by mining vast biological data, and designing optimal drug molecules using generative AI. While AI can streamline the process, it still requires significant human collaboration. Experts believe AI could lead to fewer failures in clinical trials, with 75 AI-discovered molecules already in trials and more expected. However, challenges remain, including defining what constitutes an âAI-discoveredâ drug.