HONG KONG, August 5, 2026
Insilico Medicine has announced the nomination of ISM9077 as its 32nd Preclinical Candidate (PCC) since 2021, marking another milestone in the company’s AI-driven drug discovery platform. Designed using Chemistry42, Insilico’s integrated generative artificial intelligence platform, ISM9077 is a potential first-in-class Target Y inhibitor being developed for dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD), uveitis, dry eye disease, inflammatory disorders, and aging-related conditions. The company highlighted the candidate as a unique “pipeline-in-a-drug” approach capable of addressing multiple diseases through a single novel mechanism. Preclinical findings demonstrated strong efficacy, excellent retinal exposure, favorable permeability, and a wide safety margin, supporting both oral and eye-drop delivery while reinforcing the growing role of AI in accelerating innovative therapeutic discovery.
AI Platform Drives Novel Drug Discovery
Developed through structure-based drug design (SBDD), ISM9077 was created using Insilico’s Chemistry42 platform, which integrates multiple generative AI models to optimize molecular design, pharmacophore fitting, structural novelty, and drug-like properties. Supported by proprietary crystal structure data and AI-powered target prediction models, the candidate features a novel molecular structure with low patent risk and was optimized after synthesizing and evaluating only a limited number of compounds compared with traditional drug discovery approaches. According to the company, ISM9077 demonstrates potent inhibition across species, strong pharmacokinetic characteristics, and excellent retinal tissue penetration, making it a promising candidate for both systemic oral administration and topical eye-drop therapy. The company emphasized that AI enabled the program to reach the preclinical candidate stage significantly faster than conventional discovery timelines.
Strong Preclinical Results Across Multiple Disease Models
Preclinical studies showed ISM9077 delivered superior efficacy across several ocular disease models. In dry AMD, the investigational therapy significantly improved retinal structure and visual function, with efficacy reported at approximately three times greater than currently available treatments while also producing improved histopathological outcomes. In uveitis, the candidate reduced ocular inflammation, suppressed inflammatory cytokines, and restored retinal function. In dry eye disease, ISM9077 increased tear production, rapidly reduced corneal inflammation, and outperformed the current standard treatment Cyclosporine A (CsA). Beyond ophthalmology, the novel Target Y mechanism also demonstrated potential to address chronic inflammation associated with aging, as well as neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), and obesity, expanding its therapeutic potential well beyond eye disorders.
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Pipeline-in-a-Drug Strategy Expands AI Innovation
Company executives described ISM9077 as an important demonstration of how generative AI can consistently deliver innovative drug candidates at scale. Founder and CEO Alex Zhavoronkov noted that the candidate combines a novel biological target, a newly designed molecular structure, and innovative formulation possibilities, including eye-drop administration, while supporting Insilico’s long-term strategy of simultaneously treating specific diseases and targeting the biology of aging. Co-CEO and Chief Scientific Officer Feng Ren added that the program addresses significant unmet needs in ocular diseases by balancing efficacy, safety, and patient convenience. Since 2021, Insilico Medicine has nominated 32 preclinical candidates, with 13 programs already receiving IND approval or regulatory clearance, highlighting the company’s growing ability to accelerate pharmaceutical innovation through artificial intelligence, automation, and advanced computational drug design.
Source:Insilico Medicine press release
