Amazon Web Services (AWS) is launching an artificial intelligence (AI) application to design and test novel drugs more quickly and confidently.
The system, called Amazon Bio Discovery, gives researchers direct access to a broad catalogue of specialised AI models named biological foundation models (bioFMs) that are trained on vast biological datasets. These models evaluate and accelerate the development of new antibody therapies.
Amazon Bio Discovery provides sponsors with a library of AI models and analysis packages, an AI agent that helps researchers design experiments, and integrated lab partners.
In recent years, progress in generative AI has created an explosion of new machine learning (ML) models, ranging from ones that predict the physical structure of proteins to evaluating candidates based on their chemical properties.
"AI agents make powerful scientific capabilities accessible to all drug researchers, not just those with computational expertise," said Rajiv Chopra, vice president of AWS Healthcare AI and Life Sciences. "These AI systems can design drug molecules, coordinate testing, learn from results, and get smarter with each experiment. This combination of cutting-edge AI and the robust, secure infrastructure AWS has built for regulated industries allows scientists to accelerate drug discovery in ways that weren't possible before."
Dr Nai-Kong Cheung, Enid A. Haupt, chair in paediatric oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) has utilised technology during the development of an antibody drug candidate ADC.
Cheung said: "We're glad to be able to join forces with Amazon Bio Discovery to develop the next generation of antibodies that will potentially speed up the process to help patients worldwide. As researchers, we spent 20 years just to prove that the first generation of antibody worked, and then we spent another 13 years getting it into the human form before getting FDA approval. This path has been very inefficient. Patients come here with a clock. We need results sooner.”
AI is being heavily utilised in the drug discovery space. Novo Nordisk and OpenAI forged a partnership earlier this week to develop new candidates for its obesity and diabetes division. Eli Lilly also forged several AI discovery deals throughout 2025.
In a previous conversation with Pharmaceutical Technology, experts said that one of the most promising areas for AI in drug discovery is its ability to narrow the search space for drug candidates, allowing teams to focus on the most promising candidates earlier in the development process.
GlobalData’s Pharmaceutical Intelligence Center shows that the total value of venture financing deals saw a 48% uptick in 2025 compared to 2024.
GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology.
