AMD is investing in Absci to accelerate AI drug discovery

AMD and Absci Corporation have formed a strategic partnership worth $20 million to accelerate AI-driven drug discovery, with AMD providing advanced computing technology and making a significant investment in Absci.

Key partnership details: AMD will integrate its Instinct accelerators and ROCm software into Absci’s AI drug discovery platform to enhance the development of new therapeutic antibodies and biological drugs.

• The collaboration includes a $20 million private investment in public equity (PIPE) from AMD to Absci
• Absci will utilize AMD’s high-performance computing solutions to power its de novo antibody design models
• The partnership aims to reduce infrastructure costs and accelerate innovation cycles in drug development

Technical implementation: The integration focuses on optimizing complex biological modeling through advanced computing capabilities.

• AMD’s Instinct accelerators will be specifically deployed for demanding AI workloads in drug discovery
• The partnership will leverage Absci’s IgDesign1 model, a validated inverse folding model for antibody design
• The collaboration is expected to drive wider adoption of AMD’s technology in the biopharma sector

Executive perspectives: Leadership from both companies have expressed strong confidence in the partnership’s potential impact.

• Absci CEO Sean McClain highlighted the partnership’s unique advantage in providing efficient AI solutions for drug discovery
• AMD CTO Mark Papermaster emphasized how the collaboration aligns with AMD’s high-performance computing capabilities
• Both executives stressed the transformative potential for biologic drug development

Public demonstration: The partnership’s capabilities will be showcased at an upcoming healthcare conference.

• Absci and AMD will present at the 43rd Annual J P Morgan Healthcare Conference
• The presentation will demonstrate the performance of AMD’s Instinct accelerators in biological applications
• The showcase will feature Absci’s proprietary IgDesign1 model capabilities

Future implications: This strategic partnership represents a significant step forward in the integration of advanced computing with drug discovery, potentially setting new standards for how AI technology is applied in pharmaceutical development. The success of this collaboration could accelerate the timeline for bringing new therapeutic drugs to market while reducing development costs.