#86, Unleashing AI's Power to Design Drugs with Medicinal Chemistry, Yann Gaston-Mathé from Iktos

Imagine being able to design novel drug molecules with the same ease as typing words into a computer, and being given the instructions into how to synthesize that molecule in the lab. That's the incredible potential of Iktos, our guest on today's episode of the AWS Health Innovation Podcast hosted by Alex Merwin, Head of Growth for Healthcare & Life Sciences Startups at AWS, and featuring Yann Gaston-Mathé, the Founder & CEO of Iktos.

1. How is Iktos revolutionizing the field of drug discovery with AI?

• Iktos' groundbreaking approach harnesses deep generative AI models trained on vast molecular databases to automatically design novel, optimized molecules for drug discovery challenges. This innovative technology promises to accelerate pharmaceutical R&D by rapidly generating promising molecular candidates tailored to specific therapeutic targets.

2. What is the unconventional journey of Iktos' founder, Yann Gaston-Mathé?

• Yann Gaston-Mathé, Iktos' founder and CEO, followed an atypical path, publishing his first academic paper at over 40 after diverse experiences spanning engineering, biology, consulting, and entrepreneurship before embracing the AI innovation that became Iktos.

3. What is Iktos' integrated AI-robotics platform, and how does it provide a competitive advantage?

• Iktos developed an integrated AI-robotics platform to automate molecular synthesis and generate real-world data for active learning, recursively improving its AI models' performance through continuous feedback loops, a key competitive advantage.

4. How has Iktos demonstrated the transformative impact of its technology in drug discovery?

• Leveraging its AI expertise, Iktos successfully optimized drug candidates for a Japanese pharma client, meeting 7-8 out of 8 success criteria within 12 months, demonstrating the transformative potential of its technology in accelerating drug discovery pipelines.

5. How does Iktos foster a culture of multidisciplinary innovation?

• Iktos cultivates a collaborative culture promoting cross-team knowledge sharing and brainstorming between AI, computational chemistry, and medicinal chemistry experts, fostering multidisciplinary innovation at the convergence of these fields.

Learn more about Iktos and their AI-driven drug discovery solutions on their website.

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