The future of biotech: AI-driven drug discovery

Many diseases today don’t have a cure. One reason is that drug discovery is difficult: finding and developing an effective medicine is a yearslong and very expensive process. But maybe it doesn’t have to be. Experts say AI—if properly integrated into scientists’ research—could revolutionize drug discovery, making it possible for more patients to get the treatments they need.

The view to 2030

‘We will have life-changing, game-changing drugs ... getting to the right patient at the right time’

Hear three of McKinsey’s life-sciences experts describe the potentially transformative effects of AI, data, and analytics on the process of drug discovery. Alex Devereson, Christoph Sandler, and Lydia The envision a world in which scientists will be able to automate previously manual tasks and generate new insights at an unprecedented pace. But, for that to happen, companies will need to radically change the way they work.

VISIONARY VOICES

AI can help people live longer, healthier lives

Human biology is incredibly complex—but AI and machine learning can help us make more sense of it. One possible result: better medicines, developed faster, to treat or cure many more patients.

Daphne Koller

CEO and founder, insitro

“Machinelearningwillendupbeinganabsolutelycritical,pivotalshift—aparadigmshift—inthesensethatitwilltoucheverysinglefacetofhowwediscoveranddevelopmedicines,andaccelerateandimproveeverysingleoneofthem.”

Hear more from Daphne

Vineeta Agarwala

General partner, Andreessen Horowitz

“We’reunlikelytoseeapatientexpresspridethat,‘Hey,I’monanAI-guideddrug!’Butweareverylikelytoseepatientssuggestthat,‘Wow,newtechnologieshavereallycreatedasurgeofshotsongoalforme,formyspace,thatweren’tpossiblebefore.’”

Hear more from Vineeta

Molly Gibson

Chief strategy and innovation officer, Generate Biomedicines

“We’vetriedtopredictbiologyfordecades.Butwhatifyoucouldactuallyinventnewbiology—biologythatneverexistedandnaturehasnevercomeupwith?Andifyoucoulddothat,youcouldthenstarttoprogramtherapeuticsversusdiscoverthem.”