ShareFor the first time, an AI-made drug has reached the clinical trials stage.
Called DSP-1181, the pharmaceutical drug created by AI technology to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder, is in phase 1 trials in Japan.
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The drug is a result of UK-based Exscientia. Exploratory and Japan-based Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma.
It was created using algorithms that checked potential compounds against a huge database of parameters.
Research was concluded in less than a year a fraction of the average four-and-a-half years usually required for such work.
“We believe that this entry of DSP-1181, created using AI, into clinical studies is a key milestone in drug discovery,” said Andrew Hopkins, CEO of Exscientia.
“We are very excited with the results of the joint research that resulted in the development of candidate compounds in a very short time,” said Toru Kimura, senior executive research director of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma. “We will continue to work hard to make this clinical study a success so that it may deliver new benefits to patients as soon as possible.”
AI is used for analysing patient data and diagnosis but this is the first time it has been deployed for drug development.
Paul Workman, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research in the UK was involved in the research. He said he was excited to see the first example of a new drug entering human clinical trials created by scientists using AI.
“This is very different from the use of AI to repurpose drugs. Success stories like this will provide us with the hard evidence that AI really will deliver on its transformative potential,” he said.
Source: Forbes Exscientia
