AstraZeneca invests in AI collaboration for cancer drug trials

The British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant is partnering with biotechnology firm Immunai Inc to increase the efficiency of some cancer drug trials. 

AstraZeneca has pledged to pay US$18 million to Immunai in order to use the biotechnology company’s AI model of the immune system during certain cancer drug trials. In a previous deal for using AI in drug discovery and development, AstraZeneca made a US$247 million deal with Absci for the design of a cancer-fighting antibody. 

Immunai’s AI immune system model utilises single-cell genomics in order to understand the genetic construction of single cells. Machine learning discovers and improves the development of therapeutics in relation to this immune system. The collaboration between AstraZeneca and Immunai will focus on clinical decision-making such as dose selevtion and biomarker identification.  

The collaboration will begin with an initial phase giving AstraZeneca access to the Immuai AI platform, allowing the pharmaceutical company to gain insight into the mechanisms of action of immunotherapies. AstraZeneca will also receive the option to expand the length and scope of the collaboration in the future. 

Source: 

AstraZeneca in AI collaboration with Immunai to inform cancer drug trials [Accessed October 2, 2024] https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/astrazeneca-ai-collaboration-with-immunai-inform-cancer-drug-trials-2024-09-26/