Poolbeg Pharma PLC (AIM:POLB) has signed a deal with CytoReason, which will provide artificial intelligence-based (AI) analysis of the former’s influenza disease progression data.
Poolbeg has a significant store of information on the virus taken from human challenge studies.
CytoReason, used by five of the world’s top ten pharma companies, including Pfizer, Sanofi, Roche and Merck, deploys its AI modelling to assess immune cell behaviour.
“This exciting deal is all about creating opportunities. Opportunities to unlock the potential of our unique bank of human challenge data,” said Poolbeg chief executive Jeremy Skillington.
“Opportunities to develop drugs for infectious disease more quickly and cost-effectively. And opportunities to tackle the growing global threat of influenza.
“This is the first time AI analysis will be undertaken on influenza human challenge trial data and we look forward to the results early next year.”
Poolbeg pointed out flu cases are the highest globally since the COVID outbreak two years ago.
Its lead asset, POLB 001, which is progressing towards its first human challenge trial in June, was identified using the unique disease progression data available from human challenge trials.