Human clinical trials have begun for a medicine that was found and created using artificial intelligence (AI) to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic condition that results in lung scarring. The Phase II study on the oral dose of INS018_055 is now being undertaken for more than 12 weeks in China, and it will later be expanded to test 60 people in the US and China, according to a statement from Hong Kong-based biotechnology company Insilico Medicine.
“Deep generative reinforcement learning in drug development has reached a significant milestone with the start of Phase II studies with this new inhibitor for IPF.” Founder and co-CEO of Insilico Medicine, Alex Zhavoronkov, continued, “We will investigate the effectiveness for patients of AI-discovered and created therapies in clinical trials, which is a genuine validation of our generative AI platform.”
The tissue around the lungs’ alveoli, or air sacs, is impacted by IPF. It appears when that lung tissue thickens and stiffens for an unidentified reason.
The lungs may develop fibrosis, a persistent scarring condition that, over time, makes breathing increasingly challenging. If ignored, the illness gets worse with age and can be fatal in two to five years.
According to Zhavoronkov, the results of the ongoing Phase II experiment should be ready by next year.
