As per reports from a leading South Korean daily, the country’s leading pharmaceutical firm Yuhan Corporation has collaborated with bio-informatics company Syntekabio to develop new drugs using genomic big data and an artificial intelligence (AI) platform. 

The news report read that Yuhan Corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding with Syntekabio to promote joint research on discovering biological markers or indicators of certain biological condition by analyzing patients’ genome properties and searching for new drug candidate materials using an AI-based platform. 

Syntekabio was founded in 2009 firm owns platform technology that analyzes genomic big data related to cancer and other rare diseases, and manages a prediction platform for anti-cancer drug response applied with deep learning technology. It has developed an algorithm that discovers biomarkers concerned with drug responses by linking genome big data and AI technology. 

The deal is expected to help Yuhan to reduce on the cost and period needed for new drug development by using genomic big data-based AI platform. Earlier, Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association had announced that it will establish an AI-based new drug development support center to boost the high technology sector in the pharmaceutical industry. The center will be supported by 17 members including the association, Korea Health Industry Development Institute, AI developers, and pharmaceutical companies such as Hanmi Pharm Co., Yuhan Corporation, Green Cross Corp., and Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp.