Medicina Ex Machina

The sci-fi inspired concern that artificial intelligence will one day rule the world is (mostly) unfounded, but it certainly could have a huge impact on drug discovery. Traditionally, pharma companies have been skeptical about the promise of artificial intelligence (AI). But with its potential to bring powerful new tools to the often slow and expensive drug discovery process – and its ability to predict which drugs are most likely to successfully run the clinical trial gauntlet, pharma companies are waking up to the fact that it really could be the future. In 2017, a collaboration began between Insilico Medicine, an AI company specializing in deep learning for drug discovery, and Juvenescence – a company focused on investing in treatments for age-related diseases and longevity. To find out if AI techniques could enhance drug discovery in the tricky area of age-related diseases, including dementia, diabetes, and cancer, as well as the aging process itself.