Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the use of automated algorithms to perform the tasks conventionally done with human intelligence. Over the last few years, the use of artificial intelligence in the pharma and biotech industry has redefined how scientists develop new drugs and manage diseases.
AI is set to impact China’s pharmaceutical health supplies and biopharma industry significantly. Under China’s strategic plan, ‘Made in China 2025’, the Chinese government aims to heavily invest in research and development activities to boost innovation. One of the key areas of focus is using machine learning algorithms to reduce research times and costs, which would help companies have a robust and sustainable drug pipeline and enable increased trial completion rates. Therefore, AI is becoming more and more important in making equipment for pharmaceutical industry for many medical supplies manufacturers and medical device sales companies.
Artificial intelligence in new drug development
Traditional methods to develop new drugs take an average of 10-14 years and a large amount of money. When AI is introduced into the research and development phase, machines take the place of researchers to design the drugs - this increases efficiency and results in a considerable reduction in time and costs.
AI algorithms allow researchers to quickly identify the best drug candidate for a target or a molecular compound from a pool of drug candidates. AI models can also simulate and predict the experimental and clinical performance of the newly developed drug.
AI can also predict the possible side effects of a drug before clinical tests, which can help avoid potential issues beforehand. In case problems arise, AI can be used to modify the molecular structure of the drug.
Tencent, a multinational tech company in China, has launched an AI-driven drug discovery platform called iDrug, which helps drug developers significantly reduce the time and cost involved in preclinical drug discovery. iDrug is a platform based on deep learning algorithms. iDrug provides database and cloud computing, covering phases of the preclinical new drug development, including protein structure prediction, virtual screening, molecular design/ optimization, ADMET property prediction, and synthetic route planning.
Hong Kong, S.A.R., China-based Insilico Medicine is working to develop a high-performance AI platform for drug development. Insilico Medicine, in collaboration with the Chinese CRO Wuxi and the University of Toronto, conducted a study to identify lead candidates using AI. The study, published in Nature Biotechnology in 2019, proved that AI technology could help identify compounds targeting discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1), a protein expressed in epithelial cells, and associated with fibrosis. The AI system helped identify six substances that blocked the protein, and, of this, one was found to be effective in treating mice with renal fibrosis. The whole process of identification was completed in three weeks – much faster than the traditional drug discovery process, which involves testing thousands of substances over a decade and can cost from US$500 million to US$2.6 billion.
AI in drug repurposing
Drug repurposing is a process through which existing drugs are used to treat emerging and challenging diseases. Drug repurposing is a promising approach because of the opportunity for reduced development timelines and overall costs.
Hyper-dimension, a Beijing-based pharma company, is using AI to find a possible cure for COVID-19. It is currently working with the Institute of Materia Medica under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences to use AI to find a treatment for COVID-19 among existing drugs. Hyper-dimension is using AI to run the testing model...
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