AI-driven R&D has transitioned from concept to clinical reality. With tech giants like Google (AlphaFold) and NVIDIA deepening their biomedical footprints, the capital markets are surging. Traditional drug development takes 10–12 years and billions of dollars; AI platforms are now compressing early-stage development by 2 to 4 years, effectively accelerating the "R&D clock."

At MEDTEX, four standout startups—Iambic Therapeutics, Manifold Bio, Myria Biosciences, and Arrepath—demonstrated that AI is now the "engine room" of discovery, not just a peripheral tool.

• Iambic Therapeutics: Founded only six years ago, it has raised over NT$10 billion from elite investors like NVIDIA and the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). Its AI design platform reportedly outperforms Google’s AlphaFold 3 in specific metrics. Its lead anti-cancer molecule entered Phase I trials in just two years—three times faster than the industry average.
• Manifold Bio: Focuses on in vivo AI drug design, tracking protein expression directly in living organisms.
• Myria Biosciences: Combines synthetic biology with high-throughput chemical screening.
• Arrepath: Utilizes machine learning to develop next-generation anti-infective drugs.

Dr. Pan-Chyr Yang, Vice President of IBMI, noted that AI has permeated chemical, cellular, and physiological levels. He urged Taiwanese firms to board this "golden age" express. He suggested that while Taiwan has strong clinical capabilities and hardware, a gap remains in drug design. By co-developing and co-investing with international AI drug firms, Taiwan can import pipelines into local clinical sites, transforming hospitals into validation hubs for AI-driven medicine.

Resource: 前瞻全球生醫創新》加速開發時鐘 AI新藥黃金時代 科技巨頭全入局