Daewoong Pharmaceutical Expands AI into Drug Formulation Design with $4 Million Government Project

Daewoong Pharmaceutical is expanding its AI applications into pharmaceutical formulation design, collaborating on a government-funded project to create an AI-based platform for identifying optimal drug formulations. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy selected the company to lead the project, which is backed by KRW 5.3 billion in funding over three years.

The platform aims to reverse-engineer desired pharmacokinetic profiles to recommend suitable formulation candidates, excipients, and experimental conditions. By integrating AI-generated candidates with laboratory validation, the system seeks to create a feedback loop that refines formulation design. Researchers will first define desired pharmacokinetic characteristics, such as drug absorption rates and duration of action, and then use the AI platform to suggest formulation candidates and manufacturing conditions.

The consortium will also develop a biorelevant gastrointestinal testing system to validate AI predictions. The project will initially focus on modified-release formulations and later expand to combination formulations. Success in laboratory and pilot production stages could lead to commercialization through a subscription-based platform, potentially benefiting other pharmaceutical companies and research institutions.