Insilico Medicine, an emerging AI-driven biotech startup, is gaining attention in the TechBio space for its use of generative AI to transform drug discovery and development.
Founded in 2014, Insilico is among a new breed of companies reimagining the pharmaceutical pipeline through artificial intelligence and automation. Unlike traditional biotech firms, which often depend heavily on manual lab work and years of incremental progress, TechBio companies such as Insilico are leveraging proprietary data platforms, machine learning algorithms, and IP strategies to compress development cycles and lower the risk of failure. The goal: to unlock faster, more targeted drug discovery with the help of modern computational tools.
Recently, Insilico Medicine became one of 2025’s newest tech unicorns after raising $110 million in a Series E round, bringing its valuation to $1 billion. (Also read: 2023 Patent Roundup: U.S. Unicorns)
Insilico’s tech infrastructure
Platforms and technological infrastructure
At the core of Insilico Medicine’s drug discovery efforts is Pharma.AI, a fully integrated artificial intelligence platform that covers the entire pharmaceutical R&D process, from target discovery to clinical trial prediction.
The platform is powered by a trio of proprietary technologies:
- PandaOmics, a cloud-based system, uses AI and bioinformatics to analyze complex biological and biomedical data, generating novel and repurposed therapeutic target and biomarker candidates. These predictions have been validated in both laboratory and animal studies, and the platform is available through licensing or collaboration.
- Chemistry42 is a generative AI tool that designs new small molecules from scratch, streamlining the early stages of drug development.
- InClinico uses machine learning models trained on historical trial data to predict a drug candidate’s likelihood of advancing from phase 2 to phase 3 clinical trials.
Robotics and automation
Insilico Medicine has launched a fully autonomous robotics lab to support its AI-driven drug discovery platform, Pharma.AI. The lab integrates high-throughput automation, high-content screening, and machine learning to accelerate and streamline experimental research.
Operated by AI systems and robotic vehicles, the lab handles complex tasks such as cell culture, imaging, sequencing, and genomic analysis. Data flows directly into Insilico’s PandaOmics platform, improving target identification and validation.
Strategic patent-backed collaborations
Insilico Medicine is deepening its footprint in pharmaceutical R&D through a series of strategic collaborations with major industry players, leveraging its AI-powered platforms to accelerate therapeutic development.
In a $13 million agreement with Fosun Pharma, the companies are co-developing drug candidates across four biological targets, including Insilico’s QPCTL program. The deal also grants Fosun access to Insilico’s proprietary platforms, PandaOmics and Chemistry42.
Insilico reached a major milestone in its 2022 collaboration with Sanofi, delivering a first-in-class oncology lead against an “undruggable” transcription factor using its Pharma.AI platform. While Insilico has since taken the program in-house after Sanofi’s reprioritization, the broader partnership continues, covering up to six targets with potential payments exceeding $1.2 billion.
Insilico has also teamed up with Pfizer to leverage its AI platforms, including PandaOmics, in identifying novel therapeutic targets from real-world data. The partnership focuses on advancing biomarker discovery and accelerating the development of treatments for diseases with high unmet medical need.
This article takes a closer look at Insilico Medicine’s patenting activity, exploring how the company’s intellectual property strategy has evolved alongside its advancements in AI-driven drug discovery and its expanding footprint in the U.S. biotech sector.
Insilico Medicine: Patenting Activity
Insilico Medicine’s U.S. patent activity peaked between 2019 and 2020, marking a concentrated period of innovation as the company rapidly advanced its AI-driven drug discovery capabilities. In 2019, Insilico published their study in Nature Biotechnology, detailing the successful prediction and validation of a molecule that targets DDR1 (Discoidin Domain Receptor 1). This protein, involved in cell growth and movement, is linked to diseases like cancer, fibrosis, and neurodegeneration, making it a promising target for new therapies.
From 2021 to 2023, Insilico Medicine shifted its focus toward global partnerships. This is evident in their major initiatives, including a 2021 partnership with Usynova in China, a $95 million Series D round in 2022 led by Aramco-backed Prosperity7 Ventures, and a strategic MoU with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment. Signed during the 2022 Global AI Summit, the Saudi agreement supports biotech development through joint efforts in AI-driven drug discovery, robotics, and sustainable health, making Insilico the first AI drug discovery firm to secure such a deal in the region.
Insilico Medicine: Top Law Firms
Legal representation in Insilico Medicine’s U.S. patent filings is led by a group of specialized IP firms, with a clear dominance by Maschoff Brennan. While a handful of other firms, such as Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, East Intellectual Property, and Plougmann Vingtoft, also appear prominently, the remainder of the list includes a mix of U.S., European, and Asian firms. Notably, our data also identified individual attorneys who played key roles in Insilico’s patent filings, including Jonathan Benns of Maschoff Brennan and Derek Denhart.
Insilico Medicine: Top Technology Areas
Insilico Medicine’s U.S. patent activity from 2015 to 2025 centers on AI and computational tools for drug development, with over 40% of filings in computational models (G06N) and computational chemistry (G16C).
Significant filings in bioinformatics (G16B) and heterocyclic compounds (C07D) highlight its focus on target identification and drug design. Patents under digital data processing (G06F) and therapeutic preparations (A61K, A61P) show efforts to bridge AI insights with medical applications.
Smaller clusters in healthcare informatics (G16H), image recognition (G06V), and speech tech (G10L) suggest auxiliary innovations supporting diagnostics and digital health. Insilico’s portfolio demonstrates its integrated approach to accelerating drug discovery through comprehensive AI solutions.
Patents powering the AI drug revolution
Insilico Medicine’s patent filings highlight its focus on next-generation therapeutics, with advances in immune modulation, aging biomarkers, and precision-targeted inhibitors.
Insilico targets immune overactivation with new TLR inhibitors
Overstimulation of immune receptors such as Toll-like receptors TLR7 and TLR8 has been linked to a range of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain types of cancer. U.S. Patent No. 10,988,457 addresses a longstanding challenge in immunology: to safely suppress harmful immune overactivation without compromising the body’s natural defenses.
The patent introduces a new class of small-molecule inhibitors designed to selectively block TLR7 and TLR8 activity, potentially calming excessive immune responses while preserving healthy immune function. It also covers pharmaceutical formulations and delivery methods for clinical use.
By selectively blocking these receptors, the compounds may help calm immune system overreactions linked to conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other chronic inflammatory disorders. The patent also includes pharmaceutical formulations and methods of delivering the treatment to patients.
The patent, titled “TLR inhibitors” was filed on April 28, 2020, and was granted on April 27, 2021. The inventors are Insilico CEO and founder, Aleksandrs Zavoronkovs; Vladimir Aladinskiy, and Aleksandr Aliper. Legal representation was provided by Maschoff Brennan, with attorneys Rory Radding, Eric Maschoff, Richard Gilmore, et al. named on the application.
AI-driven biological clock measures the aging rate of human organs
U.S. Patent No. 10,665,326 addresses a critical gap in preventive medicine: the need to measure biological aging with greater precision than what chronological age alone can reveal. Traditional methods often fail to reflect the distinct aging patterns of individual organs or tissues, making it difficult to tailor interventions effectively.
This patent introduces a machine learning-based system that analyzes deep proteomic data, specifically protein signatures from tissues or organs, to generate a precise biological aging clock. The method allows for organ-specific age prediction, helping identify early signs of disease susceptibility, track the impact of therapies, and design personalized treatment or lifestyle plans.
By analyzing protein signatures from tissues and organs, the system builds input vectors for AI algorithms that predict biological age, offering a more precise view of aging than conventional metrics. The method could support early diagnosis, track the effectiveness of anti-aging therapies, and personalize health interventions based on the rate a person is aging at the molecular level.
The patent, titled “Deep proteome markers of human biological aging and methods of determining a biological aging clock,” was filed on May 17, 2019, and granted on May 26, 2020. The listed inventors are Aleksandr M. Aliper, Evgenii Putin, and Aleksandrs Zavoronkovs. Legal representation was provided by Maschoff Brennan, with attorneys Rory Radding, Eric Maschoff, Richard Gilmore, et al. named on the application.
Next-gen JAK inhibitors target autoimmune diseases and cancer
U.S. Patent No. 12,286,443 addresses the pressing need for safer and more selective therapies targeting Janus kinase (JAK) enzymes, which are central to the regulation of immune responses. Current JAK inhibitors often lack specificity, leading to adverse side effects and limited long-term use in treating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
This patent presents a novel class of structurally diverse bicyclic compounds designed to selectively inhibit JAK activity, offering potential therapeutic benefits for a wide range of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, and certain cancers.
JAK kinases, particularly JAK3, are critical for cytokine signaling and immune cell function. Dysregulation of these enzymes has been linked to a wide range of disorders, including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and leukemia. The compounds disclosed in this patent are engineered to selectively target JAK pathways, especially JAK3, offering a focused therapeutic strategy to modulate overactive immune responses or inhibit tumor growth.
The patent, “Bycyclic JAK inhibitors and uses thereof,” was filed on September 17, 2021, and granted on April 29, 2025. Inventors listed are Aleksandrs Zavoronkovs, Yan Ivanenkov, Aleksandr Aliper, and Anton S. Vantskul. Legal representation was provided by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, with attorneys Richard Torczon, Um Ping Eng, William Barrett, et al. listed on the application.
Looking forward
Insilico Medicine’s growing patent portfolio signals a move toward deeper integration of intellectual property in the evolving TechBio sector. By advancing its AI-driven drug discovery platforms, the company is well-positioned to scale innovation across high-impact therapeutic areas, including oncology, fibrosis, and rare diseases.
Zhavoronkov’s vision of market-ready AI drugs by 2030 aligns with a broader trend across the global pharmaceutical sector. As AI becomes more central to early-stage discovery, it could make it easier for more groups to develop new treatment, speed up the research process, and open the door to treating diseases that have been overlooked due to limited commercial viability.
