The Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) has unveiled first fully AI-discovered and developed drug candidate by the UAE, ISM0387, created by a research team at Insilico Medicine.
The candidate ISM0387 is an advanced inhibitor targeting the PRMT5 enzyme and is designed to act through synthetic lethality by targeting tumors associated with MTAP gene deletion. This approach enhances selective activity against cancer cells while minimizing effects on healthy tissue.
ISM0387 shows strong potential in targeting solid tumors, particularly aggressive and treatment-resistant brain cancers. The compound demonstrates the ability to penetrate the blood–brain barrier and exhibits dose-dependent efficacy in inhibiting tumor growth in preclinical studies. Animal models showed clear tumor suppression when administered at 30 mg/kg daily over 20 days.
The findings support further clinical development and suggest potential applications in treating central nervous system-related diseases.
Development of ISM0387 drug candidate
The drug candidate ISM0387 was developed using Insilico Medicine’s Chemistry42 platform, which integrates more than 40 generative AI models to analyze biological and chemical data. The full discovery process, from identifying the biological target to molecular design, optimization and final preclinical candidate nomination, was completed within the UAE.
The discovery phase took approximately six months, during which more than 90 molecules were generated and tested. The overall development process was completed in under 12 months, compared to traditional timelines of over 10 years and costs exceeding $1 billion.
The program is the result of ongoing collaboration between EDE and Insilico Medicine, supported by regulatory frameworks designed to enable innovation, alongside a broader national ecosystem focused on biotechnology infrastructure and research partnerships.
HE Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri UAE Minister of State Chairman- Board of Directors Emirates Drug Establishment
“This achievement will strengthen the UAE’s position in global biotech value chains, and the country is building knowledge-based capabilities that support its role as an active partner in developing pharmaceutical solutions and expanding its global impact. This progress demonstrates the maturity of a national model that brings together scientific research with regulatory and investment frameworks. It allows us to turn scientific discoveries into real-world applications faster and supports the development of a system that can compete in high-value sectors.”
Dr. Fatima Al Kaabi noted that the milestone underscores the UAE’s expanding capacity to develop medicines locally using advanced technologies that accelerate discovery, improve accuracy, and reduce time and costs. She added that it reflects efforts to strengthen a national system that supports pharmaceutical security, local innovation, and long-term sustainability.
Dr. Sheikha Al Mazrouei, Director of the Research and Laboratories Department at EDE, said collaboration with Insilico Medicine enables the use of generative models and reinforcement learning to analyze biological, chemical and clinical data, improving the precision and safety of drug development.
The development of ISM0387 underscores the UAE’s shift from adopting advanced technologies to generating pharmaceutical innovation and intellectual property, while also supporting future access to more precise and effective treatments and strengthening national drug security.
