The world’s first-ever fully AI-generated drug will be used in human trials next week.

“It is the first fully generative AI drug to reach human clinical trials, and specifically Phase II trials with patients,” Alex Zhavoronkov, founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, told CNBC.

Insilico Medicine is a Hong Kong-based biotech startup that developed the drug as treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which is a persistent respiratory condition.

The exploration and research of the new drug commenced in 2020, aiming to produce a groundbreaking remedy to tackle the limitations of current therapies for this condition.

“When this company was launched, we were focused on algorithms, developing the technology that could discover and design new molecules,” Zhavoronkov expressed as he explained how artificial intelligence could create drugs which is better than regular ones, with less side effects.

“While there are other AI-designed drugs in trials, ours is the first drug with both a novel AI-discovered target and a novel AI-generated design,” Zhavoronkov continued.

Insilico, currently, has two other drugs which are only partially generated by artificial intelligence, one is a COVID-19 drug in phase one clinical trials, and the other is a cancer drug.

Bill Gates hit the nail on the head when he said, “The age of AI has begun”.

Gates had penned a compelling article delving into the ways in which artificial intelligence is set to revolutionise multiple domains, with a special focus on education and healthcare.

“We are optimistic that this drug will be ready for market, and reach patients who may benefit from it, in the next few years,” Zhavoronkov said.

Would you trust medicine that was manufactured and created by a robot?