Key Takeaways
- Innovative Collaboration: Iktos and Bayer’s Crop Science division announced a collaboration for AI-driven new drug design, focusing on sustainable crop protection.
- Makya™ Software Deployment: Bayer scientists will use Iktos’s Makya™, a de novo generative design software, for rapid and efficient molecular design in crop protection.
- Advanced AI Technology: Makya™ employs deep learning models for in-silico design and optimization of molecules, enabling the exploration of vast chemical spaces.
- Impact on Agricultural Sustainability: This collaboration aims to develop safer, more effective crop protection solutions, supporting Bayer’s goal to reduce agriculture’s environmental impact.
- First-of-its-Kind in Crop Protection: Leveraging AI in crop protection, previously successful in pharmaceuticals, marks a pioneering approach in the agriculture industry.
Innovative Collaboration for Sustainable Crop Protection
Iktos, a leader in Artificial Intelligence for new drug design, and Bayer’s Crop Science division, known for its extensive R&D pipeline in seeds, traits, crop protection, and digital farming solutions, have announced a groundbreaking collaboration. This partnership focuses on harnessing AI to discover and develop new, sustainable crop protection products.
Central to this collaboration is the deployment of Iktos’s Makya™ software by Bayer’s scientists. Makya™ is a cutting-edge de novo generative design tool that assists in designing novel molecules according to specific profiles, significantly accelerating the hit-to-lead and lead optimization processes in molecular discovery.
Makya™ stands out with its deep learning generative models that can in-silico design and optimize novel molecules. These molecules meet various parameters like efficacy, selectivity, safety, and sustainability. The technology offers new insights into molecular discovery, backed by a comprehensive, data-driven approach to chemical structure generation. It enables scientists to analyze billions of molecules virtually, thus exploring new and larger chemical spaces than before. The Makya™ Software as a Service (SaaS) platform also offers a user-friendly interface with secure and scalable cloud-based implementation.
This partnership is not just about innovation but also about making a positive environmental impact. The goal is to develop crop protection solutions that require lower application rates and have favorable safety profiles, aligning with Bayer’s sustainability objectives to lessen agriculture’s environmental footprint.
Previously proven successful in pharmaceutical research and development, this AI-driven approach is now applied to crop protection. It signifies a pioneering step in the industry, aiming to address critical challenges like climate change, pest resistance, and societal expectations regarding food and planetary health.
Rachel Rama, Head of Small Molecules at Bayer’s Crop Science division, emphasized the need for sustainable solutions in agriculture, which is facing challenges like climate change and pest resistance. Yann Gaston-Mathé, co-founder and CEO of Iktos, expressed excitement about the collaboration, highlighting the potential of AI in improving active ingredient development for small molecules.
About Iktos and Bayer
Iktos, a French startup founded in 2016, specializes in AI solutions for chemical research, particularly medicinal chemistry and new drug design. It offers its technology as professional services and a SaaS platform, Makya™, and is also developing Spaya™, a synthesis planning software. Bayer, a global life science company, focuses on health care and nutrition, striving to address challenges posed by a growing and aging global population. It aims to drive sustainable development and create a positive impact on its businesses.
Image provided by Iktos
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