A biotech company using generative AI for drug development has announced a new “potentially transformative” therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
Insilico Medicine said the orally available drug, ISM8969, was developed using its proprietary Pharma.AI platform. The generative AI-powered solution is used for the design of novel molecules with potential applications across biology, chemistry, medicine development and science research.
ISM8969 completed initial studies with favorable results. Assessed across three motor capability tests, the drug was shown to improve motor abilities in mice treated with the medication.
Insilico said its new medication represents a potential “paradigm shift” in treating Parkinson’s, as it targets the body’s inflammatory response to the disease and helps address the causes rather than simply the symptoms of the condition.
“The anti-inflammation strategy against Parkinson’s disease has never before passed the whole process of clinical validation, so the progress of ISM8969 is indeed encouraging,” said Alex Zhavoronkov, CEO of Insilico Medicine. “Targeting age-related diseases including PD is a powerful approach to extending healthy longevity, and we hope Insilico can lead the way in breaking new ground and driving meaningful progress.”
Next, the company plans to submit an application to progress the candidate medication to clinical trials, estimated for later this year.
The update also fuels hope over Pharma.AI’s efficacy, with Insilico estimating the platform could cut drug development timelines from 2.5 to 4 years to 12 to 18 months, with 60 to 200 molecules synthesized and tested per program.
“These positive data further strengthen our belief in the potential of ISM8969, as well as the reliability of AI-driven drug discovery methods, in the new field of central nervous system diseases,” said Feng Ren, chief scientific officer of Insilico Medicine.
“Current treatments often cause adverse effects that limit long-term use and do not address the underlying progression of the disease, and we hope that AI could be the game-changer in the strive for novel and effective solutions,” Ren added.
Insilico’s Automated Lab
Insilico has also announced that its second automated laboratory, Life Star 2, is nearing completion.
As the successor to its first state-of-the-art AI-driven robotics lab in Suzhou, China, Life Star 2 features six “advanced automated islands” designed to accelerate drug discovery through integrated automation.
Within the facility, robots handle a range of tasks, including cell culture, cell imaging and genomics analysis and prediction.
Looking ahead, Insilico plans to deploy humanoid robots in the lab to support automated biological validation processes, a move the company says will “significantly enhance” the training and iterative capabilities of its Pharma.AI platform.