Merck KGaA to Assess Quris AI Platform for Clinical Prediction

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Quris recently signed an agreement to assess the Quris BioAI machine learning platform and compare it to traditional in vitro and in vivo approaches.

The Quris BioAI safety prediction platform introduces a new concept that integrates miniaturized human tissues on a chip, nano-sensing, and machine learning to predict which drug candidates will work safely in humans.

The platform allows efficient drug discovery and the repurposing and personalizingpersonalization of of existing drugs.

Merck KGaA will assess the company’s platform with the initial investment focusing on identifying potential liver toxicity risks for drug candidates. Notably, there will be particular emphasis on candidates that preclinical experiments failed to recognize.

Additionally, Merck KGaA will have the option to obtain up to a five-year exclusive license to a specific disease domain.

“In recent years, leaders around the globe have increasingly recognized that experiments in mice do not faithfully mimic what will work in people. There is now a great need for development of a new AI-based approach,” Nobel Laureate Aaron Ciechanover, MD, DSc, chairman of Quris’ scientific advisory board, said in the announcement.

“Collaborations with pharmaceutical companies like Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, will help assess Quris’ BioAI platform for clinical prediction. If successful, this could lead to a much-needed transformation in drug development speed, safety and cost,” Ciechanover continued.

Pharmaceutical executives are looking for ways to leverage artificial intelligence within the healthcare and the biotech industry. Reports show an increasing number of entities are realizing current use cases, driving the digital future of the tech in the industry.

These technologies improveimproves decision-making, optimizeoptimizes innovation, streamlineimproves the efficiency of research/clinical trials, and createcreates beneficial new tools for physicians, consumers, insurers, and regulators.

The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that AI and machine learning in the pharmaceutical industry could generate nearly $100B annually across the US healthcare system.  

In December 2021, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Palantir Technologies partnered to deliver a secure collaborative data analytics platform that will leverage AI and big data to solve critical challenges, including quality and supply chain transparency and time to market.