Nvidia Invests $50 Million in Recursion Pharmaceuticals for AI-Driven Drug Discovery

(CTN News) – Nvidia, a leading chipmaker, has announced a $50 million investment in Recursion Pharmaceuticals, a biotech firm that uses artificial intelligence (AI) models for drug discovery. This collaboration aims to accelerate the development of Recursion’s AI models by leveraging Nvidia’s cloud platform.

Recursion utilizes AI-powered models to identify and design new therapies, offering these models to other drugmakers such as Roche and Bayer.

The company possesses an extensive dataset exceeding 23,000 terabytes, growing by hundreds of terabytes weekly. Training AI models typically requires vast amounts of data, and Recursion will use Nvidia’s cloud platform to train its models.

Nvidia’s cloud service for generative AI in drug discovery, BioNeMo, may potentially license the AI models developed by Recursion. This will enable Recursion to support its internal drug pipeline and those of its current and future partners.

AI Frenzy in Pharmaceutical Industry: Nvidia’s Investment in Recursion Pharmaceuticals

The company is conducting human trials for five drugs, with data readouts expected next year. These drugs target various conditions, including neurovascular disease and a certain type of ovarian cancer.

Recursion’s CEO, Chris Gibson, expressed confidence in the ability of technology and automation to accelerate the pace of drug discovery. The partnership with Nvidia signifies their long-term focus and belief in leveraging advanced tools in biology and chemistry.

The investment by Nvidia reflects the growing trend of integrating AI into the pharmaceutical industry. Moderna, for instance, has announced plans to utilize AI to advance its messenger RNA technology for Covid vaccines.

Google Cloud has also introduced AI-powered tools to aid drug discovery. With its AI-focused computing chips, Nvidia is seen as a major beneficiary of the AI boom.

This investment aligns with Nvidia’s continued commitment to AI technology. Recursion’s emphasis on AI has also been strengthened through recent acquisitions of two AI-driven drug discovery companies for $87.5 million.

Following the announcement, other AI-driven drugmakers, such as Exscientia and AbCellera Biologics experienced increases in their stock prices. The pharmaceutical industry increasingly recognizes the potential of AI to accelerate the delivery of life-saving treatments. Nvidia’s investment in Recursion further solidifies its involvement in this promising technology.