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Insilico Develops The World’s First Fully AI-Generated Drug

The Abu Dhabi-based company hopes to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and has 30 more drugs in the pipeline.

Published

3 months ago

August 15, 2024

Nour Nasir

insilico develops the world's first fully ai-generated drug

Emirates News Agency

In a busy biotech hub in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City, Insilico Medicine is pushing the frontiers of science. Under the watchful eye of Latvian-born CEO Dr Alex Zhavoronkov, the company has developed an AI-generated drug to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) — a deadly disease of the lungs.

“This AI drug is a major milestone for us and the industry as a whole,” Dr. Zhavoronkov explains. “We can use AI to create lifesaving treatments for new diseases using approaches we haven’t yet considered and do so much more rapidly and efficiently”.

insilico ai-generated drug robot

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by scarring of the lungs and has no known cure. Insilico’s AI drug aims to halt or even reverse the progression of IPF and is currently undergoing Phase 2 clinical trials in the US and China. The success of these trials will pave the way for more in-depth testing, bringing the drug closer to mass market approval.

Insilico’s groundbreaking research was recently published in Nature Biotechnology. It highlights how the company’s AI platform, Pharma.AI, is connecting the dots between fibrosis and aging to drive forward the discovery of a cure.

IPF treatment is just the beginning for Insilico. The company already has a roadmap consisting of over thirty AI-designed drugs, with seven already in clinical patient trials. These include treatments for inflammatory bowel disease, immuno-oncology targets, and even drugs developed using a method that targets a protein in cancers that can kill them without harming healthy cells.

Also Read: Personalized Supplement Company Bioniq Raises $15M In Funds

Dr Zhavoronkov’s ultimate goal is to leverage AI to unravel the complex processes involved in aging. “Our number one priority is to teach AI to understand the basic biology of aging, and I think we’ve succeeded in that process. Now, we need to demonstrate that we can utilize this understanding to cure diseases,” he says.

Insilico Medicine’s AI-driven drugs showcase the massive untapped potential of artificial intelligence in all aspects of healthcare. As the company continues to innovate, its work brings hope to patients around the world and demonstrates that the future of medicine is promising, thanks to the application of the latest technological breakthroughs.

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Popcorn AI Raises $500,000 For “Conversational eCommerce”

The firm’s AI platform uses specialized chatbots to handle entire eCommerce journeys, from recommending products to seamless payments.

Published

5 days ago

November 14, 2024

Nour Nasir

Popcorn AI

Dubai-based Popcorn AI has announced the closure of a pre-seed funding round that raised $500,000 for its revolutionary AI platform. The investment, led by Spring Studios with the backing of Salica Investments, Al Waha Fund of Funds, and prominent angel investors from Saudi Arabia, represents a key step forward in reshaping customer-business interactions using the power of conversational AI.

Unlike traditional chatbot systems, Popcorn AI’s platform is designed to redefine eCommerce by creating highly intelligent sales agents that handle entire customer journeys, from personalized product recommendations right through to seamless payment acceptance — all through a conversational experience.

The clever idea was recently tested to great success when one of Popcorn AI’s chatbot agents closed a $400,000 real estate transaction, handling everything from the first inquiry to the final sale. Early adopters have reported a massive 90% reduction in customer acquisition costs, along with a highly impressive 20% improvement in conversion rates, highlighting the platform’s potential to transform customer engagement across dozens of industries.

Josh Rodger, Principal at the Spring Studios fund, expressed enthusiasm for the project, saying, “We are proud to support Popcorn AI’s mission to reshape how businesses connect with their customers. Their innovative approach to conversational commerce has the potential to revolutionize industries and redefine the way customers experience digital transactions”.

Also Read: Top Free AI Chatbots Available In The Middle East

Meanwhile, Popcorn AI founder and CEO Yousef Al Arif declared: “The future of commerce is conversational,” adding, “Today’s consumers want shopping experiences that are instant, personalized, and effortless. We’re not building just another chatbot; we’re crafting intelligent commerce agents that understand context, recall customer preferences, and guide users through the entire shopping process, much like an expert salesperson would”.

Building upon a decade of experience scaling eCommerce and marketplace platforms across the MENA region, Al Arif has now achieved huge success with Popcorn AI, positioning the product at the cutting edge of AI-powered eCommerce. The platform has also made significant impacts in sectors such as real estate, and hospitality, signaling that conversational commerce is emerging as a powerful new model for digital businesses.