What's Happening?
BenchSci has renewed its two-year agreement with Merck to continue utilizing its ASCEND AI platform for preclinical disease biology research. This collaboration aims to integrate AI into Merck's scientific workflows, enhancing the evaluation of evidence and insights for early development decisions. ASCEND, a neurosymbolic AI platform, uses the Biological Evidence Knowledge Graph to unify diverse data sources, providing rapid and explainable insights. This partnership underscores the role of AI in accelerating drug discovery by addressing the primary reason for project failures: incorrect biological understanding.
Why It's Important?
The extension of the BenchSci-Merck partnership highlights the growing importance of AI in biopharmaceutical research. By leveraging
AI, Merck aims to improve the accuracy and speed of drug discovery, potentially leading to faster development of new medicines. This collaboration could enhance the productivity of preclinical R&D pipelines, reducing the time and cost associated with bringing new drugs to market. The use of AI in understanding disease biology at scale represents a significant advancement in addressing complex biological questions, ultimately benefiting patients through more effective treatments.
