Next-Gen Technology Generative AI is Here to Transform Drug Discovery and Development

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Improving the lives of patients with better medicines is the topmost priority for the pharmaceutical industry and drug discovery and development plays an important role in it. Smart technologies such as artificial intelligence is currently changing the manner in which drugs are discovered and developed but with the introduction of Generative Artificial Intelligence, this segment is set to revolutionize like never before.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is slowly but steadily becoming one of the major technologies being used across most industrial sectors and the pharmaceutical sector is no exception to this. Right from accelerating drug discovery and development to creating customized as well as better medicines for patients, AI offers it all. Now, there’s a new technology called ‘Generative Artificial Intelligence’ which is creating a buzz in the market and is also being explored by pharma companies for drug discovery and development. So, what’s this new technology all about? Let’s find out.

What is Generative Artificial Intelligence?

Generative Artificial Intelligence (Generative AI) is a type of AI technology that produces new and original text by identifying different patterns and structures in an existing data set. A popular example of this technology is ChatGPT (Generative Pre-Trained Transformer). The AI-based chatbot has the capability to understand and answer complex questions in the form of human-like conversations.

In the pharma R&D space, researchers usually have to read numerous scientific literature articles to find relevant information which takes up a lot of their time. Not only this, after all the reading, there is also a high chance of committing errors or missing out on valuable information. This is where generative AI platforms come in. This technology saves precious time and helps work to be carried out more efficiently. Generative AI is currently being used by the sector to identify potential drug targets, predict properties of new compounds and also improve clinical trials to develop better drugs.

Market scenario

In terms of market data, the Generative AI in drug discovery market size is projected to surpass around 1,129 million dollars by 2032, and it is poised to reach a CAGR of 27.1 % from 2023 to 2032, according to market research firm Market Research.Biz. It adds that the global Generative AI in drug discovery market accounted for 109 million dollars in 2022. Based on these figures, one can assume that this innovative and smart technology is certainly poised for growth in the overall drug discovery and development market.

Generative AI in action!

First Generative AI drug: Recently, the US-based firm Insilico Medicine has discovered and designed the first Generative AI drug. Claimed to be the world's first anti-fibrotic small molecule inhibitor discovered and designed using Generative AI, ISM001-055 will be used for the treatment of Idiopathc Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). The firm’s proprietary Pharma.AI platform which is driven by generative artificial intelligence helped to make the process of drug discovery more efficient and more accurate, states the company’s press release. Multi-regional Phase II clinical trials in the U.S and China have also been conducted by the generative artificial intelligence-driven clinical-stage drug discovery company. With this, the firm aims to became the first AI drug discovery company to venture into nebulized formulations, adds a press release by Insilico Medicine.

Two novel lead candidates: In addition to this, the Canada-based firm Variational AI which makes use of AI to develop new small molecules also utilizes the Generative AI technology via its generative artificial intelligence drug discovery platform. In fact, two novel lead candidates that each bind differently and distinctly to the Sars-Cov-2 main protease, the most promising therapeutic target implicated with Covid-19 across variants and potentially other coronaviruses, have been developed by the platform, shares the company’s press release. The firm’s Generative AI platform is able to create new molecules with the help of the user’s prompts which uses the language of chemistry to explain and describe the kind of molecules it requires.

Identifying antibodies: Headquartered in the US, Absci Corporation which is a generative AI drug creation company has joined hands with the University of Oxford’s Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, a biomedical research center specializing in the development of new therapies for chronic inflammatory and musculoskeletal conditions. Both the institutes are keen to develop breakthrough therapies for immune-mediated diseases with the assistance of Generative AI. For this, Absci’s unique platform which combines Generative AI and synthetic biology capabilities will be used to identify antibodies to immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and autoimmune conditions with a higher probability of clinical success at unprecedented speeds, mentions a press release by Absci Corporation.

Small molecule: Apart from this, Exscientia, an AI-driven precision medicine company has collaborated with the Japan-based pharma company Sumitomo Pharma and developed three molecules by using Generative AI. The third molecule DSP-2342 is a highly-selective bispecific small molecule with potent dual 5-HT2A and 5-HT7 antagonist activity with broad potential in psychiatric disease, opines a press release by the company. Phase 1 clinical trials of the small molecule will be conducted in the USA. This shows the potential of Generative AI to design and develop differentiated drug candidates and accordingly come up with enhanced and new drugs for various diseases.

Generative AI: Potential to revolutionize drug discovery and development

There are many other firms that are exploring Generative Artificial Intelligence but with all the above examples one thing is certain, this technology has the potential to revolutionize the drug discovery and development segment.

Also, like any other technology, Generative AI has its own drawbacks including the quality of the datasets used, accountability and safety of the newly created molecules. This shows that the technology is still in its infancy and will require a significant amount of time and research before it picks up pace and becomes a ‘must-have’ for pharmaceutical companies across the globe.

So, the next time you hear of Generative AI, don’t just think of ChatGPT but think of the massive transformation it can bring to the global pharmaceutical industry.

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