Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been making significant strides in the pharmaceutical industry, with 2024 being a standout year for the technology. From predicting protein structures to revolutionizing drug discovery, AI has become a cornerstone in the field. The recent Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded to researchers for their work with the neural network AI program AlphaFold underscored the transformative impact of AI in drug development.
As we look ahead to 2025, the role of AI in healthcare is set to expand even further. Emre Ozcan, global head of digital health and devices at Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany, predicts three key highlights for the coming year. First, AI will play a larger role in drug discovery and development, with positive data emerging from phase 1 trials of AI-enabled drugs. Second, there will be a rise in personalized clinical decision-making and treatments, thanks to advancements in data and algorithms. Third, the use of digital biomarkers and remote patient monitoring technologies will become more precise and mainstream, improving the efficiency of clinical trials and care management.
GenAI, a fusion of genetics and AI, is expected to enhance patient safety by identifying adverse events and safety signals through advanced prompt engineering. Sanmugam Aravinthan, senior director of development at IQVIA, highlights the potential for GenAI to streamline pharmacovigilance workflows by converting complex medical data into structured, machine-readable formats.
In the realm of rare disease treatment, AI is poised to “rehumanize” healthcare by augmenting human intelligence. Paul Howard, senior director of public policy at Amicus Therapeutics, envisions a future where AI tools collaborate with doctors to accelerate processes and overcome challenges in diagnosing and treating rare diseases.
Pharma companies are taking a low-risk approach to AI implementation, focusing on leveraging technology in low-risk, high-yield scenarios to avoid regulatory challenges. Erik Terjesen, partner at Silicon Foundry, emphasizes the importance of AI governance to ensure success and acceptance in the industry.
The future of drug design will be driven by AI, with in silico simulations surpassing the predictive accuracy of animal models and accelerating results. Kevin Caldwell, CEO and co-founder of Ossium Health, predicts that drug design will become as iterative and predictive as automobile engineering, leading to earlier access to groundbreaking biopharmaceuticals.
In clinical trials, AI is set to redefine the process by shifting to a technology-first paradigm. Dr. Michelle Longmire, CEO and co-founder of Medable, envisions fully automated and error-free protocol builds that enable sponsors to embrace hyper-adaptive trial designs in real-time, revolutionizing the efficiency and resilience of trials.
However, with the rise of AI in healthcare, labor challenges are expected to arise, with a shortage of skilled professionals in specialized roles. Graham Clark, CEO of Phastar, emphasizes the need for statisticians and programmers to adapt to rapidly evolving technology and make complex data understandable for non-technical stakeholders.
In personalized medicine, AI’s predictive power will deepen, integrating genetic profiles, medical histories, and environmental factors to customize treatments. Paul Pallath, vice president of applied AI at Searce, predicts that AI will optimize cancer therapies based on specific mutations, improving outcomes and minimizing side effects.
Advancements in neuroscience technologies driven by AI, neuroimaging, and other emerging technologies are set to broaden our understanding of brain function and neuro-regeneration pathways. Mike Kelly, CEO and president of NervGen Pharma, anticipates these advancements to bring new therapeutic approaches to patients worldwide.
As we navigate the integration of AI into healthcare, timing will be critical in ensuring data quality and patient safety. Martin Holm-Petersen, chief technology and innovation officer at Qinecsa, emphasizes the transformative potential of GenAI in enhancing the user interface of safety systems and leveraging different AI models effectively.
In 2025, organizations will prioritize implementing the optimal mix and match of AI technology across business processes. Alison Sloane, general manager of Vigilance Detect at IQVIA, highlights the importance of deploying advanced technologies on a case-by-case basis to maximize return and enhance human-machine collaboration.
As we look towards the future of AI in healthcare, it is clear that the transformative potential of this technology is vast. From drug discovery to personalized medicine and clinical trials, AI is set to revolutionize the way we approach healthcare in the coming year. With careful implementation and governance, AI has the power to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes in ways we have never seen before.
