Optibrium, a developer of software for drug discovery, has announced it has signed a collaboration agreement with Intellegens, a company developing novel artificial intelligence (AI) software.

The collaboration will provide Optibrium clients with access to advanced, proprietary deep learning methods that will extend and improve predictive models to guide the more efficient design and selection of high quality drug candidates.

Optibrium provides software solutions for small molecule design, optimisation and data analysis. By leveraging Intellegens’ Alchemite technology, the partnership will create a predictive modelling platform that is capable of delivering more accurate predictions and enabling better decision-making when it comes to the optimisation of compounds.

Dr Matthew Segall, Optibrium’s CEO, commented: ‘We are delighted to be working with Intellegens. Their cutting-edge, deep learning technology, already proven in the field of materials design, has shown remarkable results when applied to challenging drug discovery data in our proof-of-concept studies. These methods will deliver a step-change for our users’ ability to make confident decisions regarding their research strategy.’

The Intellegens deep learning tool, Alchemite, can model multiple endpoints simultaneously, gaining more information from available data than traditional quantitative structure-activity relationship (SAR) models. Intellegens’ methods are uniquely capable of building accurate models based on the sparse and uncertain data typically available in drug discovery.

This latest collaboration with Intellegens supports Optibrium’s approach to working with the leading and most innovative providers of technology and services for drug discovery and other chemistry fields.

Dr Gareth Conduit, Chief Technical Officer and Intellegens co-founder, said: ‘We are excited to accelerate the adoption and the impact of our neural network engine, Alchemite, by taking it to market in the field of drug discovery with Optibrium. The world-class predictive capabilities of Alchemite, delivered lucidly by Optibrium, will be game-changing for the drug discovery market, helping to simplify elements of the compound selection and design process.’