Late last January, researchers from BenevolentAI, an artificial intelligence start-up in central London, found a possible COVID-19 cure.
By using high-end BenevolentAI technologies, a possible treatment was found and pinpointed in such a speedy manner that shocked the company that makes the said drug, and as well as the other doctors who had spent years into researching about the effects on other viruses.
Narrowing the search was made possible because of the AI tech used that was engined to be able to scour all scientific sources and literature that could be linked to the virus.
The technology was originally designed to develop new drugs and not to identify new uses for any existing medications. Besides the original function, it has never been used with any material which relates to viruses.
The artificial intelligence relied on “universal language models” which teaches themselves to be able to understand all written and spoken language by means of analyzing thousands of data from old books, Wikipedia, and digital texts.
UK-based BenevolentAI is applying their solutions to tackling the coronavirus.
The start-up is known for building AI systems that help find drugs to treat chronic diseases.
How can start-ups help fight the pandemic?#Make4Prosperity #AreYouThe1 #SustainableCities #MakeItForward pic.twitter.com/6YHZwNc3J2— Making Prosperity (@Make4Prosperity) April 27, 2020
What is Baricitinib?
The drug called baricitinib was originally designed to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It is also known as a JAK inhibitor.
Its function is mainly to interfere “with the inflammatory processes within the immune system that lead to the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.”
There are, of course, a lot more questions and concerns over its potential use as a coronavirus treatment.
Dr. Vincent Marconi and Dr. Raymond Schinazi of the Emory University Hospital in Atlanta has reportedly spent eight years on in-depth research on the possible use of baricitinib, among other drugs, to treat H.I.V.
Both doctors already had reasons to believe that these drugs could also help coronavirus patients.
It is said that taking one pill—of the studied drug—a day can help fight extreme and unwanted activity from the immune system of an individual.
Baricitinib already used for clinical trials
The drug will soon be tested in an accelerated clinical trial by the National Institutes of Health. Not only is it being researched on in the United States, but other countries as well as, such as Canada, Italy, and many more.
Dr. Marconi and his fellow clinicians found “encouraging results” after administering the said pill to its patients as a form of “compassionate measure.”
Dr. Mario Corbelliono and his other infectious disease doctors have reportedly done the same to their hospital in Milan after reviewing BenevolentAI’s research.
Dr. Justin Stebbing, an Oncology professor at Imperial College London, dubbed the administering of the pill to the coronavirus patients as “computer to bench to bedside.”
The usual medical term is “bench to bedside,” but with the additional help of BenevolentAI’s discovery, he added an apt term to their medical jargon.
When #AI starts to kick in to help us versus #COVID19:
1. Traige patients in hospitals https://t.co/qJGLffQQCe @IEEEorg @newsbeagle
2. Finding a potential treatmenthttps://t.co/5UpEDi4R0L @tsimonite @WIRED
3. Why some people are hit harder than othershttps://t.co/zhhJmneJtL pic.twitter.com/ED9cpnQIip— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) April 17, 2020
BenevolentAI before COVID-19 happened
Before the pandemic, the BenevolentAI researchers are part of a global team that not only had the most hype but also is a well-funded sector in the tech industry. They were originally in the pursuit of discovering autonomous vehicles and machines that can learn by themselves.
Now, however, the company is simply trying to help scientists and researchers all over the world in finding potential vaccines for the coronavirus by using their deep learning AI.
The people at BenevolentAI are part of many AI researchers as well as data scientists around the globe who are turning all their attention and resources towards the coronavirus.
They are all hoping that by using their significant manpower, technology, and creative thinking, would accelerate efforts on learning more about the virus and ultimately finding the holy grail— the cure.
Images courtesy of Gustavo Fring, Lucian Petronel Potlog/Pexels