PHARMA LITERATI

Dr Harshit Jain, Founder & CEO, Doceree writes about the potential of AI implementation in the pharma industry and the role it can play in enhancing operations in various segments In the wake of digitisation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken a leap in the pharmaceutical industry ranging from discovery to go to market. It has a wide-reaching potential in the pharma industry such as research & development, clinical trials, marketing and sales analytics. Using a machine learning programme can reduce the time spent on examining data, saving money and allowing researchers to focus on other issues. Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere, from fantasy football to customer service, we will soon be encountering AI programmes in almost every sphere of our lives. But, it is equally important to know what AI technologies are going to be truly transformative. Let’s have a sneak peek that how it runs the gamut of pharma space prolifically. Role of AI in ‘Drug Discov...

Using a machine-learning algorithm, MIT researchers have identified a powerful new antibiotic compound. In laboratory tests, the drug killed many of the world’s most problematic disease-causing bacteria, including some strains that are resistant to all known antibiotics. It also cleared infections in two different mouse models. The computer model, which can screen more than a hundred million chemical compounds in a matter of days, is designed to pick out potential antibiotics that kill bacteria using different mechanisms than those of existing drugs. “We wanted to develop a platform that would allow us to harness the power of artificial intelligence to usher in a new age of antibiotic drug discovery,” says James Collins, the Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering and Science in MIT’s Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES) and Department of Biological Engineering. “ Our approach revealed this amazing molecule which is arguably one of the more powerful antibioti...

India is a global leader for technology embedded medical devices. As med-tech companies develop novel technologies and new business models, India’s large patient pool can maximise access to accurate diagnosis at a faster pace. There is considerable focus on enhancing the capability of medical devices with technologies that are safe and efficient, said Dr Ayelet Akselrod-Ballin, director of AI, Zebra Medical Vision, in an interaction with Nandita Vijay. Excerpts: Regulations are getting stringent across the world for medical devices. Please comment. The regulatory authority, FDA is constantly evolving now and is eager to see that approval of medical technologies are safe and effective for patients. This will enable companies to introduce the product faster in the market so the patient benefits with faster diagnosis and access to treatment. The US FDA insists that artificial intelligence/machine learning embedded medical device now need to come under its proposed regulatory frame...

The biopharmaceutical industry has launched numerous initiatives on how to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to advance drug development. For example, Pfizer expressed how AI can be used in drug discovery. Emerging biopharmaceutical companies (EBPs) are getting in on the AI action by leveraging AI to discover novel applications for shelved therapies that never made it to market. In this interview, Vimal Mehta, CEO, and Vince O’Neill, CMO, at BioXcel Therapeutics will discuss how they are actively using AI to discover advanced therapies in CNS and oncology. Moe Alsumidaie: Why is using AI and machine learning in drug development so unique, and how does it make an impact in the future of drug development? Vimal Mehta: I think information is growing at a much faster rate than in the past. And particularly in drug development, information flow is even more complex because it requires solid domain knowledge of science, the clinical side, the commercial side, the IP landscape and...

Beyond epharmacy, 1mg has expanded into doctor consultations and diagnostic lab services As per DataLabs by Inc42 estimates, the total capital invested in epharma startups has been $361 Mn (2014-H1 2019) 1mg cofounder Gaurav Agarwal said the company has over 12 projects live that use proprietary AI and ML models      Online pharmacy startups such as 1mg, Pharmeasy, Netmeds and Medlife made medicines more easily available in a wider distribution area. On the other end, Practo, Lybrate, Portea, mfine, and DocsApp sprouted up in the telemedicine and diagnostics space to make access to doctors easier,and gradually, healthtech startups have changed the face of Indian healthcare over the past five years.      As per DataLabs by Inc42 estimates, the total capital invested in startups operating in the epharma space between 2015 to H1 2019 is $361 Mn. The total capital inflow in the online pharmacy startups combined makes up around 20% of the total capit...

The Karnataka government is scouting for collaboration with Switzerland in the area of artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, big data and other related technologies which are much sought after in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector.  The state which is the information technology capital of the world is seen to be ideally positioned to maximise the expertise from Switzerland which is the hub for innovations in healthcare, according to the government.  An Indo-Swiss healthcare initiative highlighted the impact of technologies and creating a path towards digital healthcare. During the Digital Health Week in 2019, India and Switzerland are taking a closer collaboration and are positioned adequately to take many of its efforts through a week long market exploration programme curated by Swissnex, a Switzerland-government-promoted organisation.  In Bengaluru, the digital health conclave was a platform to build networks in the areas of AI...

Artificial intelligence and machine learning have the potential to fundamentally transform the delivery of health care. As technology and science advance, we can expect to see earlier disease detection, more accurate diagnosis, more targeted therapies and significant improvements in personalized medicine. The ability of artificial intelligence and machine learning software to learn from real-world feedback and improve its performance is spurring innovation and leading to the development of novel medical devices. Today, we’re announcing steps to consider a new regulatory framework specifically tailored to promote the development of safe and effective medical devices that use advanced artificial intelligence algorithms. Artificial intelligence algorithms are software that can learn from and act on data. These types of algorithms are already being used to aid in screening for diseases and to provide treatment recommendations. Last year, the FDA authorized an a...

Artificial Intelligence can propel TB eradication in India. The use of technology has the potential to revolutionize the medical care where large population is suffering from one or the other disease including tuberculosis, said Ajoy Khandheria, Founder, Gramin Healthcare. Globally, tuberculosis reported nearly two million fatality cases even crossing HIV/ AIDS. Currently, India reports the highest incidences of tuberculosis cases in the world, accounting for nearly 27 per cent of the world’s 10 million TB cases. Apart from sanitation and overall improved nutrition, one of the major hurdles to diagnose TB is the lack of trained clinicians. The use of Artificial Intelligence has given hope in tackling this deadly menace, he added. With increased economic growth and affordability, adoption of the technology is on rise especially in medicine and diagnosis. AI is creating actionable impact in diagnosis and curing deadly ailments. It enhances the functioning of doctors as they sift an...