AI

This is the latest episode of the free DDW podcast. It covers two articles written for Volume 23, Issue 1 – Winter 2021/22 of DDW. They are called “Why synthetic biology is the next big thing for biopharma” and “Collaborative spirit helps drive innovation”. ‘Can synthetic biology save us?’ and ‘Synthetic biology can benefit us […]

Vésale Bioscience, a company in the research and development of solutions and treatments using phage therapy for multi-resistant infections, has received €1.8 million in grants from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Fund for its PhageDiag project.  The project is a phagogram using artificial intelligence (AI) that enables decentralised diagnostics and personalised treatment. According to […]

Optibrium, a developer of software and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for drug discovery, recently announced the promotion of Dr Tamsin Mansley to President of its new subsidiary to lead its US-based team and business operations. DDW’s Megan Thomas spoke with Dr Mansley to learn more about what she considers the role of AI in drug […]

A new partnership between industry and three rare disease foundations has formed with the goal of accelerating the development of precision drugs to treat rare neurodevelopmental disorders.  AI-driven genomics company Genomenon will partner with COMBINEDBrain, SynGAP Research Fund, and SLC-6A1 Connect and their pharma partners to deliver genomic data on their diseases of focus.   Understanding […]

Using artificial intelligence, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden have succeeded in designing synthetic DNA that controls the cells’ protein production.  The technology can contribute to the development and production of vaccines and drugs for severe diseases much faster and at lower cost.  Last year, a research group at Chalmers, led by Aleksej Zelezniak, […]

Cancer is supported by complex ecosystems within the body which can be disrupted by cutting-edge new treatments and cures, cancer researchers have concluded.  The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust have revealed plans to direct research against the cells, signals and immune response in the tissue environment that nurtures […]

Anita Ramanathan outlines four synthetic biology approaches that are improving and accelerating drug discovery.  The brainchild of multidisciplinary experts in computer science, physics, engineering, and biology, the field of synthetic biology has not only rapidly progressed in the last few decades but it’s also becoming more accessible and cost-effective. It has made its way into almost every aspect […]

Poolbeg Pharma and partner OneThree Biotech have discovered novel drug targets for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) using an artificial intelligence (AI) programme.  The OneThree team, using its AI platform, identified novel drug targets using Poolbeg’s RSV human challenge trial data.  The next stage will involve the identification of small molecule inhibitors to […]

Optibrium and Lhasa, developers of software and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for drug discovery and development, have published a peer-reviewed study, Predicting Regioselectivity of AO, CYP, FMO and UGT Metabolism Using Quantum Mechanical Simulations and Machine Learning, where the team combined existing experimental results, quantum mechanics and machine learning to build predictive models for drug […]

A new spatial biology platform using deep learning could establish new levels of accuracy, speed, and generalisability in multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) analysis. While mIF is a powerful technology for cancer research, current tools for mIF image analysis are time-consuming, manual, and not robust enough to generalise across different platforms, markers and indications. The new platform […]

A new system utilising artificial intelligence (AI), ‘building-block’ chemistry and a molecule-making machine could speed up innovation and drug discovery, as well as make complex chemistry automated and accessible. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and collaborators in Poland and Canada doubled the average yield of a special, hard-to-optimise type of reaction linking carbon […]

David Gray, CSO of Inscopix talks to Lu Rahman about the company’s understanding of the neuroscience market and its quest to improve technologies for neuroscientists to enable multimodal research.  Inscopix is a neurotechnology company focused on understanding the function of the brain to better address the tremendous need for improved treatments of brain and nervous […]

Aqemia has raised €30 million in a Series A funding round to further support its mission to massively scale drug discovery through a first-in-class technological platform combining quantum-inspired physics and machine learning.  The financing was led by Eurazeo and Bpifrance through its Large Venture fund, with the participation of Elaia – its historic investor.   Aqemia’s […]

Reece Armstrong speaks to Natalia Mateu, Co-Founder, Jelena Aleksic, Co-Founder and Peter Curran, Chemoinformatics Scientist, about utilising 3D chemistry and AI to get small molecule therapies from the clinic to the bedside. RA: How is Pharmenable aiming to replicate the specificity of biologics in small molecule drugs?   NM: Biologics are target-specific. This specificity is […]

Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Karuna Therapeutics has extended its drug discovery collaboration with PsychoGenics, AI-enabled phenotypic drug discovery and preclinical CRO services.  The collaboration aims to identify potential novel drug candidates for the treatment of severe neuropsychiatric disorders.  The initial multi-year agreement, announced in July 2020, allowed Karuna to leverage Psychogenics’ proprietary screening platforms, which utilise […]

Markus Gershater, CSO and Co-Founder of Synthace discusses how technologies such as AI and automation are helping advance biotech and drug discovery.  On June 5th, 1833, Charles Babbage presented a small working part of his “Difference Engine No 1” to a group of interested onlookers. Sitting in the audience was Ada Lovelace, a tack-sharp 17-year-old mathematician. Fascinated by […]