For the first time in history, a medicine fully created with the help of artificial intelligence has entered the public stage of clinical trials. This groundbreaking achievement has been accomplished by the Hong Kong Biotechnological Company of InSilico Medicine, a company specializing in the search and design of new molecules using AI. The medicine, codenamed “INS018_055,” aims to treat idiopathic fibrosis of the lungs, a chronic disease characterized by scar formation in the lungs.
In recent decades, the prevalence of idiopathic fibrosis of the lungs has been on the rise. In the United States alone, approximately 100,000 people are currently suffering from this condition, and if left untreated, it can lead to a fatal outcome within two to five years.
Alex Zhavoronkov, the founder and general director of Insilico Medicine, expressed his excitement about the milestone, stating, “This is the first medicine fully designed by artificial intelligence, which has reached clinical trials in humans, namely the phase II tests with patients.” Although there are other drugs designed with AI, Zhavoronkov emphasized that Insilico Medicine’s effort in developing this medicine involved significant software advancements.
The choice of idiopathic fibrosis of the lungs as the target for development was based on its association with aging. In addition to INS018_055, Insilico Medicine has two other drugs that have been partially created with AI and are currently in clinical testing. One of these drugs is an anticoronidous agent in phase I of clinical trials, while the other is the USP1 anti-cancer drug for the treatment of solid tumors, which recently received FDA approval for the initiation of clinical trials.
Zhavoronkov reflected on the company’s early days, saying, “When this company has just begun its activities, we were focused on algorithms – the development of a technology that could open and design new molecules. I never imagined in those days that I will experience the AI drugs in clinical trials on patients.”
If the ongoing phase II study proves successful, it will progress to a larger cohort study before potentially proceeding to phase III studies involving hundreds of participants. Zhavoronkov expressed optimism about the medicine’s future, stating, “We expect the results from the current phase II study next year. It is challenging to predict the exact timelines for future phases, especially considering the rarity of the disease and the specific criteria patients must meet. However, we are optimistic that this medicine will be ready to enter the market and benefit patients in the coming years.”