Applying Semiconductor Technology and AI to Biology
Generating 1,000 Times More Data Than Existing Methods
Enhancing Reliability and Speed of Preclinical Drug Design
Erudio Bio, a biotech company founded by Korean researchers from Stanford University, has received a grant from the Gates Foundation in the United States. Erudio Bio is expected to contribute to improving the reliability and speed of preclinical processes for new drug development companies through the development of its core technology, the VSA (Versatile Smart Assay) platform.
On October 30, Erudio Bio Korea announced plans to develop 'bioTCAD (biological Technology Computer-Aided Design),' an AI platform that combines advanced modeling with Erudio Bio's multi-force spectroscopy binding measurement technology, based on the Gates Foundation-supported project.
The core technology VSA (Versatile Smart Assay) platform, developed using bioTCAD, can generate 1,000 times more biological data from a single biological sample compared to existing technologies. This enables researchers to more accurately screen drug candidates at an earlier stage. This is an innovative approach that applies the concept of TCAD (Technology Computer-Aided Design), used in the semiconductor industry, to the field of biology. Similar to simulating a building on a computer before construction, this technology predicts drug efficacy on a computer before administering it to humans.
Erudio Bio was established in 2023 by Korean entrepreneurs from Stanford, including Dr. Baek Kyuhyun and Dr. Yoon Sunghui, based on 16 years of research developed at the Stanford Genome Technology Center. Dr. Baek Kyuhyun introduced the concept of bioTCAD to biology, leveraging over 20 years of experience in semiconductor TCAD software and product development.
CEO Baek Kyuhyun stated, "AI requires reliable experimental data to accurately predict what will actually be effective. With the support of the Gates Foundation, we will expand bioTCAD to generate high-quality binding data and apply it to diseases with a high disease burden."
Currently, more than 90% of new drug development projects fail during clinical trials. This is because the interactions between drugs and the human body are so complex that they cannot be sufficiently verified in the early stages. Erudio Bio's bioTCAD utilizes high-quality molecular interaction data measured through dynamic force spectroscopy, enabling more reliable and faster drug design during the preclinical (animal testing) stage. By reducing drug development costs and shortening development periods, this technology can benefit low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that are in urgent need of new, low-cost treatments.
Meanwhile, in July, Erudio Bio established its Korean subsidiary, Erudio Bio Korea, and is pursuing joint development of cancer biomarker detection products with Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. With the goal of developing cancer diagnostic solutions tailored for Koreans, the company is currently undergoing Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval procedures, aiming for completion within this year. This technology is expected to significantly improve the accuracy of early cancer diagnosis by addressing the key limitations of existing multiplex diagnostics, such as cross-reactivity and false positives. The company plans to obtain its first clinical data in the first half of next year and apply for medical device approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in the first half of 2027.
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