AI chip startup Ceremorphic has opened a life sciences division to search out and bring to market drugs based on a new technology platform, BioCompDiscoverX. The platform includes a heterogeneous accelerator partly based on analog silicon, which accelerates the emulation of human cells and tissues as part of the drug discovery process. The company aims to identify better candidate molecules from the start of the process, thereby bringing new drugs to market faster and cheaper.
In this interview Dr. Venkat Mattela, Founder & CEO, Ceremorphic discusses how AI will influence drug discovery in days to come.
1. How does Ceremorphic’s newly announced Life Sciences Division integrate analogue and AI technology to revolutionize the drug discovery and development process?
With a total of 10,000 known and identified drugs in the world and only 500 established cures, there exists a significant gap in the pharma industry. The Life Sciences Division at Ceremorphic was launched to bridge this gap with a new drug design methodology utilizing analog circuit technology and AI.
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be integrated with in-silico architecture, proprietary analogue technology and algorithms developed in-house at Ceremorphic to increase Research and Development efficiency in the pharma landscape. The integration of technology with the established drug manufacturing process can streamline research, by making it more efficient, and data-driven, and ultimately improve the success rate of bringing new drugs into the market.
The Ceremorphic Life Sciences platform is the first solution capable of closing that gap by bringing efficiency at each level of the current design pipeline. This interdisciplinary approach aims to leverage the strength of AI-driven expertise which Ceremorphic has already developed in-house and the traditional drug development methodology.
2. What were some of the challenges faced during the development process during the ideation and implementation of the Life Sciences Vertical for drug development?
The initial stages of drug development are resource-intensive ranging from target discovery, validation to clinical trials and finally gaining regulatory approval. One new drug today typically requires over 10 years to develop, which can easily cost a pharma company more than $2 billion to bring to market. Over 90% of new drugs fail at the clinical phase II stage and only a small number of drugs get approval every year.
The challenges of drug development are not only fiscal but also span across regulatory and economic domains. From Target Discovery to Target Validation, the process of ideation itself takes a long time. A failure along any step of the way implies that you have to go back to the drawing board to redesign and repeat the process, which is time-consuming. The transformative capacity of our in-house technology and our established expertise in the supercomputing chip architecture (launched in 2022) served as a strong starting point to launch the Life Sciences Vertical. With the technology already in place, the focus in the ideation and implementation process lies in research and development.
Overcoming the challenges of drug discovery necessitates collaboration among researchers, pharmaceutical companies, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders. We have brought together a team of biologists and chemists who make up 30% of the drug discovery process while the other 70% is comprised of computer science and electrical engineers.
3. With the increasing complexity of diseases and a growing demand for innovative therapies, what collaborative approaches and interdisciplinary methods are crucial for accelerating the drug discovery pipeline?
Collaborative and interdisciplinary strategies are vital for accelerating the drug discovery pipeline. Despite remarkable scientific progress in the last 30 years, the translation of these advancements into clinical applications faces substantial challenges, reflected in high costs and failure rates in drug development.
To address these challenges, a paradigm shift in traditional clinical research models is essential. The current siloed nature of data, compounded by subspecialisation in the clinical profession, impedes progress. A transition toward multidisciplinary collaboration is crucial, leveraging insights from diverse specialities to create a collaborative model for high-quality patient care and continuous medical innovation.
Cross-disciplinary collaboration is pivotal, acknowledging that different medical disciplines may perceive the same diseases differently. The standardization and harmonization of digital characterization and clinical assessment require interdisciplinary collaboration and regulatory input. Consensus is paramount for identifying intermediate and surrogate endpoints for major chronic diseases.
Positioned as a new-generation drug discovery company, we intend to collaborate with established pharmaceutical giants to address current industry challenges. Our groundbreaking drug discovery concept, validated through consultations with industry veterans, not only garnered a positive reception but also led to expressed interest from these veterans in partnering with us. This marks a promising beginning for our venture.
4. Given the goal of closing the gap between the number of diseases and available drugs, how does Ceremorphic Life Sciences plan to leverage its expertise in hardware, algorithms, and AI to bring efficiency at each level of the drug design pipeline and contribute to addressing the global healthcare challenge?
The landscape of drug development is intricate and fraught with risks, often leading to substantial resource investment without guaranteed success. Regulatory processes, while necessary, can pose challenges due to ambiguity in specific requirements. In light of these complexities, opportunities abound to revolutionize drug development, necessitating new tools, innovative methodologies, and infrastructural advancements.
At Ceremorphic Life Sciences, we recognize the critical need to bridge the gap between diseases and available drugs. Our strategic positioning enables us to spearhead advancements in addressing this global healthcare challenge. Central to our approach are pioneering methodologies underpinned by our proprietary patent-pending technologies and cutting-edge silicon advancements, aimed at revolutionizing the drug discovery pipeline and potentially saving the industry billions of dollars.
The integration of our proprietary analog and AI technology marks a paradigm shift. This innovation allows for a meticulous and refined analysis of data, significantly streamlining the drug design process and elevating the likelihood of success. Particularly noteworthy is its ability to confront the intricate nature of diseases, empowering us to design drugs with heightened selectivity and precision.
While acknowledging India’s significance in the pharmaceutical realm, our methodologies have the potential to redefine drug development worldwide. Our current focal points—Oncology and Neurology is geared towards addressing crucial medical challenges on a global scale. We’re committed to revolutionizing drug discovery through expertise in hardware, algorithms, and AI. Our focus extends beyond efficiency, aiming for a transformative impact on the global healthcare challenge of closing the gap between diseases and available drugs.
