GERMANY —BioMed X and Sanofi have commenced a joint research endeavor focused on harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) for drug development.
This partnership, first announced in the previous year, marks the beginning of their work on an AI drug discovery platform.
The project, named the “Next Generation Virtual Patient Engine for Clinical Translation of Drug Candidates” (VPE), aims to create a computational platform capable of predicting the efficacy of novel or first-in-class drug candidates.
BioMed X emphasizes that such a platform holds the potential to address the pharmaceutical industry’s major hurdle of a 90% failure rate during clinical development.
BioMed X’s research team joins forces with an existing industry cluster, collaborating with eight other active research teams at the BioMed X institute in Heidelberg, Germany.
Leading this new team is Dr. Douglas McCloskey, a bioscientist and entrepreneur who founded AliveX biotech.
Leveraging their expertise in AI immunology platforms to expedite drug development for immune-mediated diseases, McCloskey envisions pushing the boundaries of in silico drug discovery and development with guidance from industry partners.
The Germany-based independent research group has demonstrated a longstanding interest in AI-driven drug development.
In collaboration with pharma giants like AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer, and Teva, as well as Amazon and the Israel Biotech Fund, BioMed X co-founded AION labs—an Israel-based alliance focusing on the convergence of technology and pharma.
AION Labs has actively sought novel approaches to drug discovery through AI and computer science, evident through the launch of their sixth challenge for AI-driven drug discovery startups earlier this year.
AI is poised to revolutionize the pharmaceutical industry, attracting a wave of new players seeking to capitalize on its potential.
Factors such as the availability of extensive datasets, increasing R&D costs, and the establishment of industry consortia like AION labs contribute to the viability and necessity of AI-driven drug discovery.
The market for AI in Pharma is projected to nearly triple in value from US$1.5 billion in 2019 to US$4.3 billion between 2019 and 2024.
GlobalData analysis forecasts a substantial increase in spending on AI in drug discovery, with an estimated worth of US$3.3 billion by 2025, representing more than triple the amount invested in 2019 and a year-on-year growth rate of 24.4%.
Key opinion leaders in the pharmaceutical industry recognize AI and big data as the two leading technologies for optimizing industry processes.
With the convergence of AI and drug development, the potential for groundbreaking advancements and transformative breakthroughs becomes increasingly tangible.
Sanofi is no stranger to using AI in drug development. The company already uses AI and machine learning to analyze anonymized data from 450 million patients in its DARWIN real-world data platform.
Key computational science capabilities including AI, machine learning, and bioinformatics are also part of the plan at the company’s new Cambridge Crossing campus in Cambridge, MA
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