OpenAI Acquires Orchestra Bio to Accelerate Drug Development

OpenAI announced the purchase of Orchestra Bio, a startup that develops software based on artificial intelligence to coordinate the creation of medicines.

OpenAI has acquired Orchestra Bio, a platform that helps biopharmaceutical teams coordinate the complex drug development process.

The company noted that the acquisition of the startup is aimed at accelerating research and increasing the availability of new treatments for patients.

“Development of a new drug is an extremely complex process: in the United States, it takes an average of 10 to 15 years from the detection of a therapeutic target to regulatory approval,” OpenAI said.

A therapeutic target is a molecule or biological structure in the body that can be treated with a drug.

The company intends to combine Orchestra Bio’s team and technology with its own platform, Rosalind, which includes artificial intelligence models and tools for biomedical research. Startup specialists have experience in biotechnology, software development and AI.

Orchestra Bio’s AI agents help track research progress, identify possible delays and analyze options for further action.

In September, The New York Times reported on the results of a study of the drug Rentosertib, developed by Insilico Medicine using artificial intelligence to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. After 12 weeks of taking the drug, 43 study participants recorded a decrease in their estimated biological age. Scientists have assumed that the drug can slow down aging, but stressed the preliminary nature of the results.