Insilico Medicine Relocates Headquarters to Cambridge, Massachusetts
Insilico Medicine, a clinical-stage company specializing in AI-driven drug discovery, has shifted its corporate headquarters from New York to Boston. The company will maintain an office in New York but plans to consolidate most of its U.S. operations in Cambridge, an area known for its strong biotech and technology sectors. Insilico recently signed a lease at 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, a location strategically situated between Harvard University and Kendall Square.
This move marks a significant phase in Insilico’s growth trajectory as it continues to expand its innovative platform in AI-generated drug discovery. Currently, Insilico boasts the distinction of progressing the first AI-discovered and AI-designed drug into Phase II clinical trials. The company's relocation is timed with ongoing advancements in its generative AI software platform and the development of new therapeutic assets.
Dr. Alex Zhavoronkov, the founder and CEO of Insilico, remarked on the strategic decision to choose Cambridge for its headquarters. He highlighted the dual focus on technology and biotechnology in the area as pivotal for managing their global operations. He also reflected on the company's journey since its inception in 2014, from its early days at the Emerging Technology Centers at Johns Hopkins University to securing significant investment, such as the $225 million Series C funding led by Deerfield Management in 2021.
The new headquarters will serve multiple functions: it will house the leadership teams across finance, business development, and marketing/communications and will feature a showroom for demonstrating the company’s Pharma.AI drug discovery environment and latest technological innovations. This environment encompasses the Biology42, Chemistry42, and Medicine42 platforms, set to be complemented by new robotics and confidential computing devices in 2024.
Dr. Petrina Kamya, Global Head of AI Platforms and President of Insilico Medicine Canada, will support the Cambridge site from Montreal. The company has announced an official opening event to take place later this spring, aiming to make connections within the local biotech ecosystem and showcase their work to partners and the press.
Keith Mikule, PhD, Vice President of Business Development, who is based at the Boston office, emphasized the strategic advantages of being in Cambridge. He noted the potential for Insilico to play a significant role in advancing AI-designed therapeutics and providing AI solutions to enhance other companies’ R&D efforts. Dr. Mikule also highlighted the promising status of many drugs in Insilico’s pipeline, which are categorized as potentially first-in-class or best-in-class.
Insilico's pioneering work in generative AI for drug design was first documented in a peer-reviewed journal in 2016. Since then, the company has advanced several AI-based approaches and integrated these into its Pharma.AI platform. This platform has been instrumental in developing a diverse and robust pipeline of therapeutic assets targeting diseases like fibrosis, cancer, and aging-related conditions. More recently, in March 2024, Insilico published detailed data in Nature Biotechnology on its lead drug, a TNIK inhibitor for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, currently in Phase II trials.
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