Artificial intelligence-driven technology developed by Genetika+ can match antidepressant drugs to patients to make sure the prescribed drug works as well and better avoid unwanted side effects.
To identify this match, brain cells are generated from a patient’s blood sample, then exposed to various antidepressants, and cellular changes recorded. This information, taken with the patient’s medical history and genetic data, is then processed by an AI system to determine the best drug to prescribe and at what dosage.
According to WHO, approximately 280 million people in the world have depression at any given time. It is also estimated that two-thirds of initial prescriptions for antidepressant may not work properly.
This ground-breaking technology is still being developed, though Genetika+ intends to bring it to market next year, and have received funding from the EU’s European Research Council and the European Innovation Council.
Dr Heba Sailem, Senior Lecturer of Biomedical AI and Data Science at the School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, at King’s College London, said: that while AI has helped with a range of other medical advances, the pharmaceutical sector should continue to employ strict measures for prescribing medications before relying on AI predictions.
Further reading:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65260592
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