AI firm Pucho 'designs' molecules that can fight Covid-19

A Bengaluru-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) firm has come up with "designs" of several chemical molecules that may help stop SARS-CoV2 virus, which causes Covid-19 infection from multiplying in an infected person. The firm, which used deep learning technology to identify structures of molecules that would inhibit a critical enzyme of the virus – called 3CLpro, is already in talks with an Indian pharma company, which could synthesise the molecules for testing, if the deal materialises. "We are not in a position to disclose the name of the pharma firm yet," said Vikram Jha, CEO of Pucho Technology Information Limited, the five-year-old firm. The firm, which has office in Bengaluru has been involved in developing an AI platform that offers search and information services to people who have otherwise access to the Internet in languages they are comfortable with when the lockdown happened. "We were ready with our platform but could not launch because of the lockdown. So, we decided to direct our energies towards the Covid-19 fight in a meaningful way using our expertise in AI. That was when two of our engineers specialising in deep learning suggested they could use neural network technology to look for generating potential lead compounds that can target the viral enzyme, 3CLpro," said Jha.