Merck Life Science said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Daewoong Pharmaceutical to enhance AI-based new drug development.
The strategic partnership aims to apply AI in the entire lifecycle of drug development.
Under the accord, Daewoong will employ Merck's products to identify, validate, and monitor potential drug candidates. Merck Life Science, in return, will provide critical data and software to support the entire spectrum of drug development, from compound design and early synthesis ideas to materialization.
A key highlight of the collaboration is the incorporation of Merck's AI-based drug development software, SYNTHIA, which is expected to amplify the efficiency of Daewoong's drug development processes significantly.
Known as a retrosynthesis software, SYNTHIA has been recognized as a pioneering technology, adopted by major pharmaceutical giants across North America, Europe, and Japan since 2019.
The software is credited with potential cost savings of up to 60 percent and enhancing overall profitability by substantially reducing research stages.
Merck also intends to leverage the Aldrich Market Select (AMS) product in this partnership. This product, designed to support small-molecule library design, offers access to over 14 million chemical compounds, facilitating smooth molecular screening and chemical synthesis.
Also, AMS aids in securing candidate compounds swiftly by supporting the synthesis of compounds identified through SYNTHIA's pathways.
Through AMS, Merck aims to trim down the time and cost involved in securing candidate compounds and to boost the overall productivity of the synthesis process.
Merck had already proved the software's efficacy through the QBB (Quick Building Block) project with Pfizer in 2019. This collaboration successfully augmented the diversity of essential compounds and derivatives in drug development, marking notable efficiencies in time and cost aspects.
"This partnership with Daewoong marks the first in the nation to support AI-driven drug development throughout its entire lifecycle," said Chung Ji-young, head of Science and Lab Solutions at Merck Life Science Korea. "We are hopeful that Merck's sophisticated AI-driven drug development technologies like SYNTHIA and AMS can significantly contribute to innovative drug development by domestic pharmaceutical companies."
Daewoong's Chief of Drug Discovery Center Park Joon-seok, also said, "Daewoong has been ardently integrating AI technology to enhance the productivity of the demanding drug development process and is keen on establishing partnerships with innovative tech companies."
"This MOU will not only elevate the efficiency of drug research but will also strengthen Daewoong's continuous R&D investments, enriching its drug pipeline," Park added.