MUMBAI: Finding the next breakthrough medicine may soon be less about trial and error and more about trial and algorithm. Mankind Pharma has partnered with Denovo Sciences to launch an artificial intelligence-led drug discovery programme, signalling a deeper push into technology-driven research as pharmaceutical companies increasingly turn to AI to accelerate innovation.
The collaboration combines Mankind Pharma’s research and development capabilities, experimental validation infrastructure and clinical development expertise with Denovo Sciences’ proprietary AI platform for molecular generation and prioritisation. Together, the companies will adopt a human-in-the-loop model, where AI identifies and evaluates potential drug molecules while scientists oversee, validate and refine every stage of the discovery process.
The initiative is built around three core objectives, shortening early-stage drug discovery timelines, improving the quality of lead candidates and increasing the likelihood that only the most promising molecules progress through development. By using AI to screen a far larger pool of molecular possibilities than conventional methods, the partners aim to reduce both the time and cost associated with unsuccessful candidates.
The partnership reflects a broader shift across the pharmaceutical industry, where artificial intelligence is increasingly being deployed to improve research efficiency, particularly during the early phases of drug development. Faster identification of viable compounds could ultimately help bring new therapies to patients more quickly while improving development success rates.
For Mankind Pharma, the agreement marks one of its most significant technology-led R&D initiatives to date and underlines its ambition to evolve beyond traditional drug discovery models. The company has been steadily expanding its innovation capabilities, with AI now becoming a central pillar of its long-term research strategy.
For Denovo Sciences, the collaboration provides an opportunity to deploy its proprietary AI technologies at scale alongside one of India’s leading pharmaceutical companies. The partnership also advances the biotech firm’s objective of translating AI-driven molecular design into clinically meaningful drug candidates.
As pharmaceutical companies race to blend computational intelligence with scientific expertise, the collaboration underscores a growing belief that the next generation of medicines may be discovered not only in laboratories, but also through algorithms working hand in hand with researchers.
