
SESSION
RNxAI.Visions
Lykke Pedersen, Head of RNA Therapeutics, Abzu
Morten Lindow, Matrix Lead, Roche Innovation Center
We tend to forget that the most disruptive and appealing feature of RNA therapeutics is its generic platform nature: The ability to design and synthesize oligonucleotides that bind and elicit pharmacology is highly predictable and almost digital in nature.
However, for years, the congenital, digital nature of RNA Therapeutics has been overshadowed by more analog and less predictable challenges in delivery and safety. Let’s remember that RNA therapeutics, in most cases, originates back to the simplicity of base-pairing discovered by Watson and Crick in the early 1950s. A fact that enables description of RNA therapeutics as sequences highly suitable for digitalization.
In this provocative joint talk, Morten, a long time RNA Drug Hunter from Roche and Lykke, from the explainable AI company, Abzu, share their joint visions for how the digital nature of RNA therapeutics and modern AI technology together can change the way we do and think drug discovery in RNA therapeutics.
We will discuss 1) how Pharma’s standard project model needs to be upgraded to take advantage of AI and the sequence nature of RNA therapeutics, 2) how explainable AI and RNA therapeutics together could close the loop between clinical big data and drug discovery, and 3) how a machine learning inspired, data science mindset and practices must pervade the drug discovery value if we are to get out of the current meager productivity.

Event overview
The Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society (OTS) Annual Meeting is a forum for the realization of the Society’s mission and goals: To foster academic and industry-based research and development of oligonucleotide therapeutics.
Leaders in the field from across the globe, alongside students, will present on an array of topics, including chemistry, AI / machine learning, genome and RNA editing, and preclinical and clinical research.
