Insilico Medicine Names UAE’s First AI Discovered Preclinical Drug Candidate

Insilico Medicine has nominated ISM0387, the first preclinical drug candidate discovered in the United Arab Emirates using generative AI, announced in a press release. The nomination was made in partnership with the Emirates Drug Establishment and supported by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi.

ISM0387 is an MTA cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor designed to target glioblastoma. It features a novel structure with improved in vitro activity, selectivity, and brain penetration properties. The compound was discovered locally through Insilico’s Pharma.AI and Chemistry42 platforms, which screened 90 AI generated candidates and completed the lead discovery phase in six months.

The project began in May 2025 as a pilot program to demonstrate that generative AI could shorten drug discovery timelines. The UAE-based team completed the full discovery and optimization process within a year, marking Insilico’s 30th AI supported preclinical candidate overall.

The discovery took place at Insilico’s research and development center in Masdar City, established in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office. The center employs around 40 specialists working on AI enhanced drug design and local pharmaceutical innovation.