Transforming Drug Discovery Through Artificial Intelligence

The emergence of Artificial Intelligence [AI] within the past few years has garnered either optimism, skepticism, or fear as we see an increase in adoption, from everyday smart products to large-scale innovation. Often acknowledged as a game-changing technology, AI offers untapped potential in improving established ways of doing business, as well as with new opportunities in meeting and addressing critical pain points across many industries, including banking, manufacturing and healthcare. The pharmaceutical industry is also embracing the trendy technology for its abilities in effectively advancing and/or addressing the ever-changing drug or therapeutic needs from those who suffer from everyday viruses to complex diseases, like pancreatic cancer or Alzheimer's. As we see new renditions of once-eradicated viruses or destructive diseases like polio, traditional R&D efforts can be ineffective and expensive, often taking between 11 - 15 years and with costs upwards of $2.6 billion. AI-powered drug discovery efforts are enabling big pharma and biotechnology companies to streamline R&D efforts, including calculating vast patient datasets into digestible, tangible information, identifying personalized / precision medicine opportunities or forecasting potential responses to new drugs.