Alphabet subsidiary Isomorphic Labs is about to start clinical trials with drugs developed exclusively using artificial intelligence – a breakthrough that could have a lasting impact on the pharmaceutical industry.
Isomorphic Labs, a subsidiary spun off from Google DeepMind in 2021, is preparing to take a decisive step: the first human clinical trials of drugs developed entirely by AI systems. Colin Murdoch, President of Isomorphic Labs and Chief Business Officer at Google DeepMind, announced that the company is “very close” to initiating human trials for AI-developed drugs.
The basis of these ambitious plans is AlphaFold, an AI system from DeepMind that predicts protein structures. The latest version, AlphaFold 3, can model how proteins interact with other molecules – a capability that is invaluable for drug discovery. This technological foundation enables Isomorphic Labs to develop drugs in a more targeted and efficient way than conventional methods.
The company has already forged impressive partnerships with pharmaceutical companies Novartis and Eli Lilly and closed a $600 million funding round in April 2025. These investments underline the industry’s confidence in AI-powered drug development.
The vision: medicines at the touch of a button
Isomorphic Labs is pursuing an extraordinary vision: to build a“world-class drug development machine” that develops new drugs faster, at lower cost and with a higher probability of success. Murdoch believes that the company’s technology could significantly improve the current low success rates in drug development – around 10% after the start of clinical trials.
The ultimate goal is a system where a drug can be developed to treat a specific disease at the press of a button. This vision may seem futuristic, but advances in AI-based molecular design are making it increasingly realistic. The current success rate of only 10% for drugs entering clinical trials could be significantly increased through more accurate predictive models and better target identification.
Market potential and competition
The market for AI in drug discovery is in a phase of explosive growth. Current forecasts show a market volume of 1.72 billion dollars in 2024, which could grow to 8.53 billion dollars by 2030 – an annual growth rate of over 30%. This development is driven by the enormous costs of traditional drug development, which often reach 2.6 billion dollars per approved drug.
Isomorphic Labs is not alone in this field. Companies such as Exscientia have already taken AI-engineered molecules into clinical trials, while EvolutionaryScale is driving generative AI models for protein development with $142 million in seed funding. This competitive landscape is accelerating innovation and demonstrating the massive potential of AI-enabled pharmacology.
Executive Summary
- Isomorphic Labs prepares for the first clinical trials with fully AI-developed drugs
- AlphaFold technology enables accurate predictions of protein-molecule interactions
- Partnerships with Novartis and Eli Lilly and $600 million in funding underscore market confidence
- The AI drug discovery market is expected to grow from 1.72 billion dollars (2024) to 8.53 billion dollars (2030)
- Traditional drug development has a success rate of only 10% – AI could improve this significantly
- Vision of a system that develops drugs for specific diseases at the touch of a button
- Growing competition from companies such as Exscientia and EvolutionaryScale is driving innovation
Source: Fortune
