M&M: Merck, Mayo Clinic team up to use AI to speed drug development in MS

Merck and Mayo Clinic have launched a new collaboration that uses artificial intelligence and large-scale, de-identified patient data to accelerate drug discovery for multiple sclerosis and other conditions. By combining Mayo’s extensive clinical and genomic datasets with Merck’s AI-powered “virtual cell” technology, the partnership aims to better identify promising drug targets and improve the success rate of new therapies. Initially focused on MS, inflammatory bowel disease, and atopic dermatitis, the effort seeks to reduce the trial-and-error nature of drug development and bring innovative treatments to patients more efficiently.