Pioneering a significant stride in medical breakthroughs, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, renowned for its COVID-19 vaccine, joins hands with Absci, a US-based AI biologics company. Their mission: to craft an antibody solution targeting cancer cells.
In a recent Financial Times revelation on December 3, AstraZeneca commits an investment upwards of $247 million. This substantial funding encompasses research, development, milestone payments, and an initial fee to Absci. The core objective revolves around developing a revolutionary zero-shot generative AI model. This model aims not only to innovate fresh antibody therapies for cancer but also to enhance the efficacy of existing ones. While specifics about the cancer types were undisclosed in the report, the collaboration signals a concerted effort towards a transformative healthcare solution.
Absci prides itself on an AI framework that scrutinizes billions of cells every week, swiftly advancing from antibody concepts to validated candidates in a mere six weeks. Engaged in 17 active projects presently, the company leverages AI to streamline the discovery process. Puja Sapra, AstraZeneca’s senior vice-president, highlights the pivotal role of AI: “AI is enabling us to not only increase the success and speed of our biologics discovery process, but also enhance the diversity of the biologics we discover.”
Absci’s CEO, Sean McClain, publicly confirms the collaboration, emphasizing AstraZeneca’s invaluable role in fortifying their AI-driven efforts.
This partnership underscores the burgeoning significance of AI in healthcare. Beyond accelerating groundbreaking research, AI holds promise in elevating data precision. Demonstrating this trend, Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority recently launched an AI pilot targeting multidrug-resistant organisms. The AI’s prowess lies in analyzing clinical data to discern the judicious prescription of antibiotics, a critical step in combating the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant superbugs within the region.
