Key points from article :
Isomorphic Labs, an AI-driven startup created by Alphabet, has partnered with pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novartis in a collaboration valued at nearly $3 billion.
The company, led by Demis Hassabis, aims to revolutionize drug discovery by applying its AI engine to the development of small-molecule therapeutics. Isomorphic will work on multiple therapeutic targets across these strategic partnerships, which involve significant upfront payments and milestone-based funding.
Novartis is contributing $37.5 million initially, focusing on three undisclosed drug targets, with the potential for an additional $1.2 billion in milestone payments. Meanwhile, the Lilly deal provides $45 million upfront and could reach up to $1.7 billion.
Isomorphic Labs, formed in 2021, taps into AlphaFold, a groundbreaking AI engine that solved the complex challenge of predicting protein folding. This development unlocked new ways to understand how diseases affect the body and how to design drugs that can target disease-related proteins. AlphaFold has since modeled nearly all human proteins and is used by researchers worldwide. Its newer version, AlphaFold 2, has expanded capabilities, including modeling small molecules and nucleic acids.
The partnerships with Novartis and Lilly combine Isomorphic’s advanced AI technology with the massive computing power and medicinal chemistry expertise of the two pharmaceutical companies. This collaboration could accelerate drug development, helping to discover and bring life-changing medicines to patients more quickly.
Fiona Marshall, Novartis’ president of biomedical research, emphasized that AI technologies like AlphaFold have the potential to transform the drug discovery process. By working with two major players in the pharmaceutical industry, Isomorphic Labs is well-positioned to push the boundaries of AI-powered drug discovery and significantly impact medical research.
