Insilico Medicine has raised $110 million in Series E funding for its artificial intelligence-powered drug discovery operations, shortly after reporting encouraging results with its lead drug for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

英矽智能在其特发性肺纤维化（IPF）主导药物取得可喜结果后不久，为其人工智能驱动的药物发现业务筹集了1.1亿美元的E轮融资。

The new round, led by a private equity fund of Asia's Value Partners Group, will be used to advance its pipeline and develop new AI models and algorithms for its discovery platform, as well as to increase its deployment of lab automation.

由亚洲Value Partners集团旗下的私募股权基金领投的新一轮融资，将用于推进其研发管线，为其发现平台开发新的人工智能模型和算法，并增加实验室自动化的部署。

Meanwhile, the US and Hong Kong-based company told

同时，这家总部位于美国和香港的公司表示

Bloomberg

彭博社

that it may be ready to press the button on an initial public offering, likely on the Hong Kong exchange, after seeing its valuation head north of $1 billion.

可能在香港交易所首次公开募股时，准备好按下按钮，此前其估值已突破10亿美元。

It is the first financing carried out by Insilico since it raised

这是英矽智能自筹集资金以来进行的首次融资

$60 million

6000万美元

in a fourth round that closed in 2022. Since then, lead candidate rentosertib (formerly known as

在2022年结束的第四轮融资中，自那时起，主要候选药物rentosertib（之前被称为

ISM001-055

ISM001-055

) has moved from phase and into a phase 2a study, and it now has regulatory approval to start clinical testing of 10 candidates in total.

）已从第一阶段进入第二阶段的研究，并且现在已经获得监管部门的批准，可以开始对总共10名候选人进行临床测试。

Topline data from that study was reported in November and revealed that rentosertib was well-tolerated and achieved dose-dependent improvements in forced vital capacity (FVC) – a key measure of lung function – after 12 weeks of dosing. Current treatments, including antifibrotic drugs, can slow disease progression but do not stop or reverse it, leaving a significant unmet need for more effective, disease-modifying therapies..

该研究的初步数据于去年 11 月公布，结果显示，在用药 12 周后，rentosertib 耐受性良好，并在用力肺活量 (FVC)（肺功能的关键指标）方面取得了剂量依赖性的改善。当前的治疗方法（包括抗纤维化药物）可以减缓疾病进展，但不能阻止或逆转病情，因此对更有效、可改变病程的治疗方案仍存在显著的未满足需求。

The drug was developed using generative AI (GenAI) and inhibits TNIK (Traf2- and NCK- interacting kinase), a novel drug target that Insilico believes plays a key role in the development of fibrosis (scarring) in tissues. It is the first investigational drug in which both the biological target and the therapeutic compound were discovered using GenAI, according to Insilico..

该药物使用生成式人工智能（GenAI）开发，抑制TNIK（Traf2和NCK相互作用激酶），这是一个新的药物靶点，英硅智能认为它在组织纤维化（瘢痕形成）的发展中起关键作用。据英硅智能称，这是首个生物靶点和治疗化合物均通过GenAI发现的在研药物。

Chief executive Alex Zhavoronkov said the new round will 'accelerate the advancement of our drug pipeline and AI platform, further solidifying Insilico's leadership in this rapidly evolving sector.'

首席执行官亚历克斯·扎沃隆科夫表示，新一轮融资将“加速我们的药物研发管线和人工智能平台的发展，进一步巩固英硅智能在这一快速发展的领域的领导地位。”

The company also says that its AI platform – Pharma.AI – is becoming more speedy and efficient and can now identify and nominate a preclinical candidate within 12 to 18 months, compared to the two-and-half to four years needed with traditional drug discovery methods.

该公司还表示，其人工智能平台——Pharma.AI——正变得更加快速和高效，现在可以在12到18个月内识别并提名一个临床前候选药物，而使用传统药物发现方法则需要两到四年的时间。

That potential has led to out-licensing deals with Fosun Pharma, Exelixis, and Menarini, collectively valued at over $2.1 billion, and another $1.4 billion in partnerships with the likes of Sanofi, Saudi Aramco, and Therasid Bioscience.

这一潜力促成了与复星医药、Exelixis和Menarini的对外授权交易，总价值超过21亿美元，还促成了与赛诺菲、沙特阿美和Therasid Bioscience等公司高达14亿美元的合作伙伴关系。