In the challenging landscape of bringing new drugs to market in the U.S., Boston-based Dotmatics is pioneering the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the drug development process. Kalim Saliba from Dotmatics highlights the formidable nature of the current process, which spans an average of 10 years and costs $2.5 billion.
Dotmatics, a scientific R&D software company, aims to streamline and expedite drug development by harnessing the power of AI. According to Saliba, the company collaborates with clients to integrate science data and decision-making, facilitating a transition to an AI-assisted future.
The core function of Dotmatics is to assist scientists in creating better drugs more efficiently. By consolidating research data into a unified platform, Dotmatics empowers scientists to leverage AI for data analysis and decision support.
Stephen Tharp, also from Dotmatics, explains the role of generative AI tools, which learn from data, identify patterns, and aid in predicting the next steps of drug development. He likens this AI capability to a “flashlight for scientists,” allowing them to navigate extensive datasets and focus on specific areas for further investigation.
One particularly promising application of AI in medicine, especially biologics, involves utilizing proteins to combat diseases. AI plays a crucial role in this field by generating protein structures that may be novel to humans but could hold the key to addressing diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer.
Saliba envisions a future where AI-driven drug discovery becomes more prevalent, stating, “Right now we have maybe 15-20 drugs on the market that are helped discover by AI. I think in 5-10 years, we’ll be talking about drugs that were not discovered by AI.” Tharp emphasizes the potential for significant scientific innovation within a remarkably condensed timeframe, showcasing the transformative impact of AI on drug development. The collaboration between scientists and advanced AI technologies holds the promise of unlocking solutions for previously intractable diseases, ushering in a new era of drug discovery and innovation.
