Insilico Medicine has nominated its second preclinical drug candidate from its Abu Dhabi R&D facility — a painkiller with the potential to offer a non-addictive alternative to opioids. The Boston-based biotech used AI to discover the drug in one year, compared to an industry average of 4.5 years. The pharmaceutical candidate is on track to begin human trials in 2027.

This is Insilico's second preclinical candidate from the UAE. The first, nominated earlier this year, targeted glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Why This Matters

Backed by world-class talent and state-of-the-art AI infrastructure, Abu Dhabi's R&D ecosystem is delivering life-changing pharmaceutical breakthroughs. UAE organizations, including G42, M42 and the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Departments of Health, are investing heavily across the health tech sector, creating opportunities for US innovators to accelerate and scale. Together, these partnerships are fast-tracking drug discoveries, expanding access to care and positioning both countries at the frontier of AI-driven healthcare.

“This is what we call a 'Eureka' moment, the kind of discovery that completely changes the landscape of how we treat patients.” – Dr. Carol Satler, Senior Vice President for Clinical Development, Non-Oncology at Insilico Medicine