AI-guided discovery

Studies to determine the protective effects on vascular integrity confirmed that selected compounds acting through the sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor provided protective effects on membrane integrity. This effect was confirmed in in vivo dengue infection models. Additional studies are underway to understand this mode of action for potential use in people with dengue virus infection.

AI-based investigations showed a number of mechanistic pathways that were selected for experimental validation. DNDi teams are focusing their efforts on the study of compounds suggesting positive effects on the maintenance of vascular integrity in dengue infection models.

The collaboration uses BenevolentAI’s AI tools and biomedical knowledge graph, which is built from diverse and independent data sources, such as scientific literature, patents, genetics, chemistry, clinical trial data, and more. Scientists from DNDi and BenevolentAI began using this artificial intelligence-driven approach to interrogate the underlying mechanisms involved in dengue and rapidly identify therapies that could be repurposed to prevent progression to severe dengue.

The most promising drug candidates identified in the joint research will later be tested in preclinical models and potentially in clinical trials conducted in collaboration with dengue-endemic country partners.