Quick Take:

  • Mydecine has launched its machine learning drug discovery program at the University of Alberta.
  • The program will enable the company to more rapidly screen hundreds of thousands of new molecules without the need to produce them, allowing Mydecine to focus on the strongest potential therapeutics

Mydecine Innovations Group Inc (NEO:MYCO) has launched its in-silico drug discovery program in conjunction with researchers at the University of Alberta (UofA), the company announced.

Led by computer-assisted drug development expert and UofA assistant professor at the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Khaled Barakat, the program is focused on utilizing artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) to support drug screenings, including both the ability to build drugs from the receptor up and assess drugs around the receptors of Mydecine’s choosing.

The in-silico (read: computer simulated) program will enable the company to more rapidly screen hundreds of thousands of new molecules without the need to produce them, allowing Mydecine to focus on the strongest potential therapeutics for its chemical and natural development programs, the company said.

Mydecine will also be able to more efficiently screen its own proprietary library of novel compounds designed by Chief Science Officer Rob Roscow and advisory board member, Denton Hoyer.

“Years of research have shown that the chemical components of psychoactive and non-psychoactive mushrooms can be extremely powerful in a therapeutic setting and yet, there is still so much that we don’t understand about how these molecules can affect biological systems,”

Josh Bartch, CEO of Mydecine

At UofA, Barakat and his team specialize in understanding the nature and biophysical processes underlying protein-drug interaction, protein-protein interactions, protein-DNA interactions, drug off-target interactions and predicting drug-mediated toxicity.

“Dr. Barakat and his team have built an impressive reputation as leaders at the intersection of technology and pharmacological science,” “Adding their specialization in developing innovative computer models and novel technologies to predict protein-protein and protein-drug interactions will bring tremendous value to Mydecine’s research and enable us to more quickly bring to market effective drugs that can produce better outcomes for patients.”

Josh Bartch, CEO of Mydecine