AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical company actively involved in COVID-19 vaccine development, has announced a collaboration with the US-based artificial intelligence (AI) biologics firm, Absci, to design a cancer antibody.
Reported by the Financial Times on December 3, AstraZeneca is set to invest approximately $247 million in research and development, milestone payments, and upfront costs for Absci. This partnership focuses on leveraging a zero-shot generative artificial intelligence model to create novel cancer antibody therapies and enhance existing ones. While the specifics regarding the types of cancer were not disclosed, Absci's website highlights its AI's ability to screen "billions of cells" weekly, rapidly advancing from antibodies to "laboratory-validated cell candidates" within six weeks. Presently, the company is engaged in 17 active projects. Puja Sapra, Senior Vice President at AstraZeneca, expressed:
“AI not only allows us to improve the success and speed of the biologic discovery process but also enhances the diversity of biologics we discover.”
Absci CEO Sean McClain confirmed the collaboration publicly and highlighted AstraZeneca's role in leveraging their artificial intelligence initiatives, as reported by Reuters.
The healthcare sector increasingly embraces artificial intelligence due to its potential to significantly expedite innovative research and improve data analysis accuracy. In a related development, Hong Kong's Hospital Authority unveiled an artificial intelligence pilot project in November aimed at combating multidrug-resistant microorganisms, known as superbugs. The project utilizes AI to analyze clinical data, determining the necessity of prescribing antibiotics. The overuse of antibiotics has resulted in the proliferation of drug-resistant superbugs in the region, prompting this innovative approach to treatment decision-making.
