New Electronics - AI proves a boost for drug discovery

Creating a vaccine involves examining the structure of the virus and identifying its spike protein which is used to gain entry to the host's cells. Antibodies that target the spike protein can block the virus and inhibit replication. In the case of the Covid-19 virus, the genetic sequence of the virus was released in January 2020 to allow developers around the world to have a blueprint for their research. Typically, drugs are developed by pharmaceutical companies analysing chemical compounds to assess properties in a drug, for example absorption rates, metabolic stability, binding strengths and so forth. Today's commercially available anti-viral therapeutics target diseases like influenza, hepatitis C, chickenpox, papilloma and AIDS and the R&D activities to model properties for future anti-viral therapeutics are a significant part of the typical $2.5 billion cost of a new drug.