AI Assistance in the Drug Development Process: Reaching for a Regulatory Framework

The process of discovering and developing a new drug takes approximately six to ten years; 1 however, in April 2021, the UK-based company Exscientia-partnered with German biotechnology company Evotech-announced that after just eight months of research, their new anticancer molecule entered Phase I of clinical trials. 2 This accelerated timeline can be attributed to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to the drug discovery process. 3 This feat marks Exscientia's second AI-designed drug to enter into Phase I of clinical testing. 4 Other companies have also tapped into AI within the drug discovery context.