Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, CEO of Insilico Medicine, leads one of the world's top generative artificial intelligence (AI) drug discovery companies. Insilico Medicine develops and sells generative AI drug discovery software, designs and assesses new drugs using that software and sells those agents to other pharmaceutical companies.
The company boasts an impressive track record, with nine preclinical drug candidates delivered in 2022 alone and nine programs currently in the clinical trials stage. Two of these are in phase 2 studies for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a serious lung disease in which the tissue surrounding air sacs become stiff and thick, making breathing progressively more difficult.
Insilico Medicine's residence at Cure is one of seven of the company's global locations, and Deerfield Management is one of Insilico's elite investors.
Zhavoronkov gave Cure a sneak peek at the topics he will touch on during his opening address at the GenAI4Pharma event on the evening of September 12, 2024:
Gen AI not only accelerates drug discovery, but reduces its cost and raises its quality
"Generative artificial intelligence can produce higher-quality therapeutic assets that are likely to be safer and more efficacious for patients than drugs discovered using traditional approaches," said Zhavoronkov. "It's not only faster and better, but there's also most likely going to be a higher probability of success."
He'll talk about Insilico's programs leading to phase 2 clinical trials, how AI helped compress their timelines and how one drug candidate was purchased by another company for close to $1 billion, with $80 million cash up front.
AI-powered robotics are integral to Insilico's workflow
"We have a giant lab in China that is powered by robots," Zhavoronkov explained. "In my field, robotics can be used for data generation, validation and expansion of indications."
Insilico is also testing the use of humanoids — human-like robots — in its laboratory operations. Zhavoronkov believes that humanoids will achieve superhuman capabilities in the next five years.
Sustainability is important for all biotechnology companies
"If we are to live on this planet, we need to invest in a more sustainable future," asserted Zhavoronkov.
Insilico created a Gen AI consortium to develop and promote open-source technologies for environmental sustainability. The consortium is using AI to enhance carbon dioxide capture, hydrogen storage, agrochemistry and lubricant production.