AstraZeneca, known for its COVID-19 vaccine, is entering a partnership with U.S.-based AI biologics company Absci to focus on cancer antibody development.
The Financial Times reported on Dec. 3 that AstraZeneca plans to invest a total of $247 million, including research and development costs, milestone payments, and an initial fee in this collaboration with Absci. Their goal is to develop a zero-shot generative AI model dedicated to creating new and enhancing existing antibody therapeutics targeting cancer, although the specific cancer types weren’t disclosed.
Absci’s technology, as per their website, involves screening “billions of cells” weekly, producing lab-validated candidates within six weeks. Currently, Absci is involved in 17 ongoing projects. Puja Sapra, a senior vice president at AstraZeneca, highlighted the impact of AI in their work:
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 CEO Sean McClain also confirmed the collaboration, as reported by Reuters, indicating that AstraZeneca’s involvement will boost their AI-driven initiatives. While Absci has yet to respond to Cointelegraph’s request for further details, the partnership marks a significant step in integrating AI into healthcare.
In a similar vein, AI’s role in healthcare is expanding. The Hospital Authority in Hong Kong, for instance, initiated an AI pilot in November aimed at combating multidrug-resistant organisms. This AI tool will analyze clinical data to guide the prescribing of antibiotics, addressing the issue of overuse that has led to a rise in resistant superbugs.