Google’s AI just helped create a cancer drug, trials begin soon

Isomorphic Labs, an Alphabet subsidiary, is starting human trials on a cancer drug developed with DeepMind’s AlphaFold 3 AI.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• The drug targets cancer using AI-generated insights into protein structures.

• AlphaFold 3 predicts how proteins behave, helping design more effective treatments.

• This marks a rare leap: from AI simulation to actual clinical use.

• WHO data shows nearly 10 million cancer deaths in 2022, demand for new drugs is urgent.

• Isomorphic Labs raised $600M to fund the trials and future drug design.

• Partnerships with pharma giants like Novartis and Eli Lilly total $3B+.

• Competitors like Novo Nordisk and Anima Biotech are also investing heavily in AI drug discovery.

AI’s promise in healthcare isn’t just about diagnostics or chatbots. It’s in discovery, solving problems humans couldn’t brute-force through before. If these trials succeed, it’s not just a win for cancer patients, it’s a proof point for what AI can build when it's focused on science, not clicks.