AI-powered drug developer Insilico Medicine has completed the second preclinical candidate compound (PCC) in collaboration with Fosun Pharma. This compound is potentially a new therapeutic for treating solid tumors using a synthetic lethal strategy. The companies expect to submit the candidate for pre-IND application by Q4 2024.

The compound targets DNA damage repair mechanisms, a significant aspect of tumor therapy. The process leveraged Insilico’s PandaOmics, an AI target identification engine, and Life Star 1, an AI-operated lab. Chemistry42, another AI tool, created compounds expressly for the target. The compound is claimed to have shown promising results in preclinical studies, with anti-tumor efficacy and impressive ADMET properties. Fosun Pharma plans to take on the compound for further research and development after Insilico advances it to the IND-enabling stage.

Analyst QuickTake : The partnership between Insilico Medicine and Fosun Pharma was established in January 2022 . It was aimed to develop multiple drug targets, including Insilico’s Glutaminyl-peptide cyclotransferase-like (QPCTL) program, and to develop Fosun’s internal drug development programs using Insilico's PandaOmics and Chemistry42 platforms.