D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) and the pharmaceutical division of Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) have announced a collaboration on a proof-of-concept project aimed at accelerating drug discovery using quantum computing and artificial intelligence. The initiative, called “Quantum AI-driven Drug Discovery,” seeks to enhance the speed and quality of pharmaceutical small molecule development by leveraging D-Wave’s annealing quantum computing technology.
In this project, JT’s AI team will utilize D-Wave’s quantum computing solutions to improve the efficiency of training AI systems for drug design. The goal is to develop a pioneering approach for discovering ‘first-in-class’ pharmaceutical compounds, expanding the exploration space in drug design while addressing challenges in drug development.
Dr. Masaru Tateno, Chief Scientific Officer of JT’s Pharmaceutical Research Center, highlighted the potential of D-Wave’s quantum technology in advancing their AI-driven drug discovery systems, with expectations to set a new standard in pharmaceutical research. D-Wave’s CEO, Dr. Alan Baratz, emphasized the company’s commitment to supporting JT’s efforts by maximizing the capabilities of AI with quantum computing.
For more details, you can see the original press release here.
October 1, 2024