Alphabet launches new lab to use AI in drug discovery

Isomorphic Labs' mission is to find cures for some of humanity’s most devastating diseases, says CEO

Google's parent company Alphabet has launched a new lab firm to use artificial intelligence (AI) in discovering new drugs for the health industry.

The new company founded in the UK, Isomorphic Labs, is "a commercial venture with the mission to reimagine the entire drug discovery process from the ground up with an AI-first approach and, ultimately, to model and understand some of the fundamental mechanisms of life," according to a blog post.

Its founder and CEO Demis Hassabis said computational and AI methods can help scientists in their work, and significantly accelerate the drug discovery process.

Hassabis also heads DeepMind, a British AI research lab founded in 2010, which was acquired by Google in 2014.

"As pioneers in the emerging field of ‘digital biology’, we look forward to helping usher in an amazingly productive new age of biomedical breakthroughs," he said.

"Isomorphic’s mission could not be a more important one: to use AI to accelerate drug discovery, and ultimately, find cures for some of humanity’s most devastating diseases."​​​​​​​​​​​​​​