Insilico Medicine recently announced the completion of a US$110 million Series E financing, led by Hong Kong company Value Partners and received extensive support from original investors and new investors. The funding will be mainly used to refine the company's AI model and support key clinical trials of its leading drug candidate for rentosertib in the field of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This financing not only provides strong financial support for the company's technological research and development, but also further consolidates its leading position in the field of AI-driven drug research and development.
The company's small molecule inhibitor ISM001-055 was recently officially named rentosertib by the U.S. New Drug Nomenclature Commission, which marks an important milestone in the research on the generation of AI discovery structures and biological targets. Late last year, rentosertib performed positively in a placebo-controlled phase 2a clinical trial involving 71 Chinese patients. The results showed that patients' lung capacity increased significantly with dose increase after three months, and the quality of life scores evaluated by the Chronic Cough Scale also improved. These positive data set a solid foundation for the further development of rentosertib.
Meanwhile, Insilico has begun injecting ISM6331 into the first patients in China and the United States, a wholly owned molecular drug for mesothelioma and other solid tumors. This progress marks the company's further expansion in the field of oncology treatment and also provides patients with new treatment options.
"The funds raised this time will accelerate the development of our drug development line and AI platform, further strengthen Insilico's leadership in this rapidly growing field. We will continue to work to extend people's lifespan and be proud to be at the forefront of medical innovation." His remarks not only demonstrate the company's confidence in future development, but also reflect its ambitions in the field of medical innovation.
Last month, Insilico released its internal timetable for 22 AI-designed drug projects, demonstrating the entire process from target recognition to preclinical preparation for human research. To date, the company has relied on AI programs and robotics labs to synthesize and test potential drug-like molecules at an average rate of 13 months, with 10 assets approved by the FDA for human research. This efficient R&D process not only shortens the time for drug development, but also improves the success rate.
In terms of laboratory automation, Insilico this month launched its first humanoid lab robot prototype called "Supervisor", a bipedal robot that will learn the skills of scientists. Zhavoronkov said the company’s goal is to develop powerful humanoid robot systems for pharmaceuticals, carbon capture and sustainable research, which will work with human scientists to perform daily tasks such as pipetting, using reagents and operating laboratory equipment. This innovation not only improves the laboratories' work efficiency, but also provides new possibilities for future scientific research.