Abu Dhabi scientists use AI to develop pain killer 'more effective than morphine'

Scientists in Abu Dhabi have harnessed artificial intelligence to create a potential painkiller that may outperform morphine, according to Insilico Medicine, a clinical-stage biotechnology firm located in Masdar City. The drug, dubbed ISM9528, demonstrated promising results in early trials and is currently undergoing human testing.

The drug's developers are optimistic about its non-opioid nature, as it could provide a safer alternative to opioid medications, reducing the risk of dependence and addiction. The global pain medicine market is valued at over $100 billion, highlighting the urgent need for effective non-addictive treatments. Insilico Medicine's Abu Dhabi team is also working on developing a drug for cancer treatment, including glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer.

The company's CEO, Alex Aliper, emphasized the groundbreaking nature of this achievement, noting that the development of novel medicine has traditionally been limited to a few countries. He highlighted how the UAE's thriving innovation ecosystem has made significant strides in recent years, enabling the Abu Dhabi team to make a major regional contribution to drug discovery.

Insilico's AI platform, Pharma.AI, enables researchers to identify biological mechanisms linked to disease, select targets, and design molecules that can interact with those targets. This streamlined approach has reduced the time it takes to nominate a preclinical candidate from 12-18 months to just a few months, compared to the traditional five-year process.

The company aims to nominate about one candidate per month this year, while large pharmaceutical companies typically nominate four or five per year.