South Korea is making remarkable strides in the fight against lung cancer by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and national supercomputers. A consortium of leading research institutions and biotechnology firms has joined forces to accelerate the discovery of innovative anti-cancer drugs.

The initiative involves a partnership among the following organizations:

• DAAN Cancer Research Institute under Yonsei University's College of Medicine
• Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)
• Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT)
• Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
• J INTS BIO, a biotech company

These entities aim to harness AI to identify promising drug candidates, predict their effectiveness, and optimize treatment protocols.

The consortium has outlined a systematic four-phase strategy:

1. Sample Collection: Yonsei University's DAAN Cancer Research will gather lung cancer tissue and genomic samples.
2. AI and Supercomputer Analysis: DGIST will utilize supercomputers to simulate and analyze protein-drug interactions.
3. Drug Candidate Development: KRICT will conduct pharmacological and toxicological evaluations of AI-identified compounds.
4. Clinical Validation: J INTS BIO will oversee clinical trials to confirm the accuracy and predictive power of AI tools.

The consortium is also dedicated to building robust cancer data infrastructures to support ongoing and future research, with preliminary findings expected by mid-2025.

The integration of AI and supercomputing aims to address long-standing challenges in cancer drug development, such as high toxicity and low efficacy. By processing vast biological datasets, AI can drastically shorten timelines and reduce failure rates in clinical trials.

KAIST professor Joung Ho Kim emphasized, "AI can revolutionize drug discovery, enabling patient-specific predictions that accelerate development while improving success rates." Meanwhile, Yonsei's Professor Byoung Chul Cho highlighted AI's role in ultra-precise analysis, paving the way for personalized cancer treatments.

South Korea has been enhancing access to cancer research data through initiatives like K-CURE, a public database for clinical and cancer data. The government has also launched projects to expedite the development of new drug targets for non-immune solid cancers.

In the private sector, AI innovation is flourishing. Companies like Standigm and Daewoong Pharmaceutical are utilizing AI to discover and develop drugs for various conditions, demonstrating the potential of technology-driven solutions in healthcare.

This groundbreaking collaboration signifies South Korea's commitment to revolutionizing cancer treatment through advanced AI technologies, offering hope for more effective and personalized therapies.