The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more and more widespread in the medical field. A company in Singapore has just presented a list of 18 potential corona medicines that has been compiled using a learning algorithm.
The company Gero from Singapore specializes in AI-driven search for medicines. They have developed an AI engine by the name of Gero AI Drug Discovery Platform. Using this platform, a long list of existing medicines has been analysed for their corona-beating potential, and 18 potential candidates rose to the surface. Gero has decided to make the results of this AI-driven survey available to researchers everywhere, so that trials can effectively start immediately.
This immediate testing is possible because all the 18 medicines involved have already been tested on humans, and can theoretically be repurposed quickly. Of these, 6 have been cleared by the FDA, 3 have been withdrawn despite clearance, and the other 9 are pending FDA approval but have already been tested on humans in clinical trials.
Some of the potential cures have been in use since the 1950’s, and there are even substances of which have shown to be effective against other coronaviruses.
Gero does issue a warning that it is of the utmost importance that the rules and regulations for off-label use of existing medication must be observed at all time, and that self-medication must be prevented.
On its website Gero states: “We urge pharmaceutical industry, academia, healthcare organisations, and all interested parties to collaborate extensively on the testing and further development of identified drug candidates to bring it to patients ASAP. We invite investors and pharmaceutical companies interested to develop COVID-19 drugs to contact us for more details, including a full list of identified drug candidates available for commercial development and immediate start of clinical trials.”
Read more on the repurposing of existing medicine on Gero’s website.
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