AI Discovers Drugs That May Disrupt Biotech and Pharma
Published in Artificial Intelligence.
Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots like ChatGPT by OpenAI have brought awareness to the general public of the power of machine learning. At the same time, a quiet AI revolution in drug discovery is rapidly advancing that may impact both our mental and physical health–in a good way. Recently, a number of pioneering companies with new drug treatments discovered using AI are in the clinical trial phase.
There are currently many small-molecule drug discovery companies that were built from the start using AI technology. Now a group of these companies has new drugs in the clinical research phase. These companies include Verge Genomics, Berg, BenevolentAI, InSilico Medicine, Pharos iBio, and others.
The main phases of drug discovery in the U.S. include early drug discovery and development, preclinical research, clinical research, and regulatory approval. There are typically four phases in clinical trials per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In Phase I trials, a small group is tested for the treatment’s safety, determine dosage, and spot any side effects. Phase II trials are conducted with a larger group to evaluate safety and effectiveness. Phase III trials are conducted with large groups of people. The final phase, Phase IV, is done after FDA approval for use and are post-marketing studies to gain additional data on the best use of the drug, as well as the risks and benefits.