‘AI lowers the capital needed’: India’s drug discovery push faces test of human trials

AI's role in India's drug discovery currently focuses on enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of the initial stages. This allows smaller Indian biotechnology companies to identify promising drug targets, screen compounds, and design molecules before laboratory experiments, as noted by scientist Megha Goyal. The technology helps reduce the early-stage research costs, making the process more viable for firms without extensive resources.

However, industry experts indicate that AI addresses only a segment of the lengthy and complex drug development pathway. Noubar Afeyan, co-founder of Moderna, stated that establishing robust preclinical and clinical trial capabilities at scale is more crucial for India to translate scientific discoveries into medicines than AI alone. This suggests a distinction between AI's utility in early research and the broader infrastructure needs for human trials.

The Indian government is supporting drug discovery efforts, with the Department of Pharmaceuticals approving 16 billion rupees (US$168 million) in funding for 41 pharmaceutical and medical technology research projects in September. This financial backing, combined with AI's potential to reduce initial research expenditures, could help India develop more original medicines, moving beyond its traditional emphasis on generics and contract research for international firms.