1
|
Olawade DB, Teke J, Fapohunda O, Weerasinghe K, Usman SO, Ige AO, Clement David-Olawade A. Leveraging artificial intelligence in vaccine development: A narrative review. J Microbiol Methods 2024; 224:106998. [PMID: 39019262 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2024.106998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Vaccine development stands as a cornerstone of public health efforts, pivotal in curbing infectious diseases and reducing global morbidity and mortality. However, traditional vaccine development methods are often time-consuming, costly, and inefficient. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has ushered in a new era in vaccine design, offering unprecedented opportunities to expedite the process. This narrative review explores the role of AI in vaccine development, focusing on antigen selection, epitope prediction, adjuvant identification, and optimization strategies. AI algorithms, including machine learning and deep learning, leverage genomic data, protein structures, and immune system interactions to predict antigenic epitopes, assess immunogenicity, and prioritize antigens for experimentation. Furthermore, AI-driven approaches facilitate the rational design of immunogens and the identification of novel adjuvant candidates with optimal safety and efficacy profiles. Challenges such as data heterogeneity, model interpretability, and regulatory considerations must be addressed to realize the full potential of AI in vaccine development. Integrating emerging technologies, such as single-cell omics and synthetic biology, promises to enhance vaccine design precision and scalability. This review underscores the transformative impact of AI on vaccine development and highlights the need for interdisciplinary collaborations and regulatory harmonization to accelerate the delivery of safe and effective vaccines against infectious diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David B Olawade
- Department of Allied and Public Health, School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Research and Innovation, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham ME7 5NY, United Kingdom.
| | - Jennifer Teke
- Department of Research and Innovation, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham ME7 5NY, United Kingdom; Faculty of Medicine, Health and Social Care, Canterbury Christ Church University, United Kingdom
| | | | - Kusal Weerasinghe
- Department of Research and Innovation, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham ME7 5NY, United Kingdom
| | - Sunday O Usman
- Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering, University of Arizona, USA
| | - Abimbola O Ige
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Thomas M, O'Boyle NM, Bender A, De Graaf C. MolScore: a scoring, evaluation and benchmarking framework for generative models in de novo drug design. J Cheminform 2024; 16:64. [PMID: 38816825 PMCID: PMC11141043 DOI: 10.1186/s13321-024-00861-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Generative models are undergoing rapid research and application to de novo drug design. To facilitate their application and evaluation, we present MolScore. MolScore already contains many drug-design-relevant scoring functions commonly used in benchmarks such as, molecular similarity, molecular docking, predictive models, synthesizability, and more. In addition, providing performance metrics to evaluate generative model performance based on the chemistry generated. With this unification of functionality, MolScore re-implements commonly used benchmarks in the field (such as GuacaMol, MOSES, and MolOpt). Moreover, new benchmarks can be created trivially. We demonstrate this by testing a chemical language model with reinforcement learning on three new tasks of increasing complexity related to the design of 5-HT2a ligands that utilise either molecular descriptors, 266 pre-trained QSAR models, or dual molecular docking. Lastly, MolScore can be integrated into an existing Python script with just three lines of code. This framework is a step towards unifying generative model application and evaluation as applied to drug design for both practitioners and researchers. The framework can be found on GitHub and downloaded directly from the Python Package Index.Scientific ContributionMolScore is an open-source platform to facilitate generative molecular design and evaluation thereof for application in drug design. This platform takes important steps towards unifying existing benchmarks, providing a platform to share new benchmarks, and improves customisation, flexibility and usability for practitioners over existing solutions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Thomas
- Centre for Molecular Informatics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Noel M O'Boyle
- Computational Chemistry, Nxera Pharma, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Andreas Bender
- Centre for Molecular Informatics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Chris De Graaf
- Computational Chemistry, Nxera Pharma, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tropsha A, Isayev O, Varnek A, Schneider G, Cherkasov A. Integrating QSAR modelling and deep learning in drug discovery: the emergence of deep QSAR. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024; 23:141-155. [PMID: 38066301 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00832-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modelling, an approach that was introduced 60 years ago, is widely used in computer-aided drug design. In recent years, progress in artificial intelligence techniques, such as deep learning, the rapid growth of databases of molecules for virtual screening and dramatic improvements in computational power have supported the emergence of a new field of QSAR applications that we term 'deep QSAR'. Marking a decade from the pioneering applications of deep QSAR to tasks involved in small-molecule drug discovery, we herein describe key advances in the field, including deep generative and reinforcement learning approaches in molecular design, deep learning models for synthetic planning and the application of deep QSAR models in structure-based virtual screening. We also reflect on the emergence of quantum computing, which promises to further accelerate deep QSAR applications and the need for open-source and democratized resources to support computer-aided drug design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Artem Cherkasov
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Photonic Inc., Coquitlam, BC, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zheng L, Shi F, Peng C, Xu M, Fan F, Li Y, Zhang L, Du J, Wang Z, Lin Z, Sun Y, Deng C, Duan X, Wei L, Zhao C, Fang L, Zhang P, Ma S, Lai L, Yang M. Application scenario-oriented molecule generation platform developed for drug discovery. Methods 2024; 222:112-121. [PMID: 38215898 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2023.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Design of molecules for candidate compound selection is one of the central challenges in drug discovery due to the complexity of chemical space and requirement of multi-parameter optimization. Here we present an application scenario-oriented platform (ID4Idea) for molecule generation in different scenarios of drug discovery. This platform utilizes both library or rule based and generative based algorithms (VAE, RNN, GAN, etc.), in combination with various AI learning types (pre-training, transfer learning, reinforcement learning, active learning, etc.) and input representations (1D SMILES, 2D graph, 3D shape, binding site, pharmacophore, etc.), to enable customized solutions for a given molecular design scenario. Besides the usual generation followed screening protocol, goal-directed molecule generation can also be conducted towards predefined goals, enhancing the efficiency of hit identification, lead finding, and lead optimization. We demonstrate the effectiveness of ID4Idea platform through case studies, showcasing customized solutions for different design tasks using various input information, such as binding pockets, pharmacophores, and compound representations. In addition, remaining challenges are discussed to unlock the full potential of AI models in drug discovery and pave the way for the development of novel therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lianjun Zheng
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Floor 3, Sf Industrial Plant, No. 2 Hongliu Road, Fubao Community, Fubao Street, Futian District, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | - Fangjun Shi
- XtalPi Innovation Center, XtalPi Inc., Beijing, China
| | - Chunwang Peng
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Floor 3, Sf Industrial Plant, No. 2 Hongliu Road, Fubao Community, Fubao Street, Futian District, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | - Min Xu
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Floor 3, Sf Industrial Plant, No. 2 Hongliu Road, Fubao Community, Fubao Street, Futian District, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | - Fangda Fan
- XtalPi Innovation Center, XtalPi Inc., Beijing, China
| | - Yuanpeng Li
- XtalPi Innovation Center, XtalPi Inc., Beijing, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- XtalPi Innovation Center, XtalPi Inc., Beijing, China
| | - Jiewen Du
- XtalPi Innovation Center, XtalPi Inc., Beijing, China
| | - Zonghu Wang
- XtalPi Innovation Center, XtalPi Inc., Beijing, China
| | - Zhixiong Lin
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Floor 3, Sf Industrial Plant, No. 2 Hongliu Road, Fubao Community, Fubao Street, Futian District, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | - Yina Sun
- XtalPi Innovation Center, XtalPi Inc., Beijing, China
| | - Chenglong Deng
- Jingtai Zhiyao Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), No. 207 Huanqiao Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Xinli Duan
- XtalPi Innovation Center, XtalPi Inc., Beijing, China
| | - Lin Wei
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Floor 3, Sf Industrial Plant, No. 2 Hongliu Road, Fubao Community, Fubao Street, Futian District, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | | | - Lei Fang
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Floor 3, Sf Industrial Plant, No. 2 Hongliu Road, Fubao Community, Fubao Street, Futian District, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | - Peiyu Zhang
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Floor 3, Sf Industrial Plant, No. 2 Hongliu Road, Fubao Community, Fubao Street, Futian District, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | - Songling Ma
- XtalPi Innovation Center, XtalPi Inc., Beijing, China.
| | - Lipeng Lai
- XtalPi Innovation Center, XtalPi Inc., Beijing, China.
| | - Mingjun Yang
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Floor 3, Sf Industrial Plant, No. 2 Hongliu Road, Fubao Community, Fubao Street, Futian District, Shenzhen 518045, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li CH, Tabor DP. Generative organic electronic molecular design informed by quantum chemistry. Chem Sci 2023; 14:11045-11055. [PMID: 37860647 PMCID: PMC10583709 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc03781a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Generative molecular design strategies have emerged as promising alternatives to trial-and-error approaches for exploring and optimizing within large chemical spaces. To date, generative models with reinforcement learning approaches have frequently used low-cost methods to evaluate the quality of the generated molecules, enabling many loops through the generative model. However, for functional molecular materials tasks, such low-cost methods are either not available or would require the generation of large amounts of training data to train surrogate machine learning models. In this work, we develop a framework that connects the REINVENT reinforcement learning framework with excited state quantum chemistry calculations to discover molecules with specified molecular excited state energy levels, specifically molecules with excited state landscapes that would serve as promising singlet fission or triplet-triplet annihilation materials. We employ a two-step curriculum strategy to first find a set of diverse promising molecules, then demonstrate the framework's ability to exploit a more focused chemical space with anthracene derivatives. Under this protocol, we show that the framework can find desired molecules and improve Pareto fronts for targeted properties versus synthesizability. Moreover, we are able to find several different design principles used by chemists for the design of singlet fission and triplet-triplet annihilation molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Han Li
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University College Station TX 77842 USA
| | - Daniel P Tabor
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University College Station TX 77842 USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Yu Y, Huang J, He H, Han J, Ye G, Xu T, Sun X, Chen X, Ren X, Li C, Li H, Huang W, Liu Y, Wang X, Gao Y, Cheng N, Guo N, Chen X, Feng J, Hua Y, Liu C, Zhu G, Xie Z, Yao L, Zhong W, Chen X, Liu W, Li H. Accelerated Discovery of Macrocyclic CDK2 Inhibitor QR-6401 by Generative Models and Structure-Based Drug Design. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:297-304. [PMID: 36923916 PMCID: PMC10009793 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Selective CDK2 inhibitors have the potential to provide effective therapeutics for CDK2-dependent cancers and for combating drug resistance due to high cyclin E1 (CCNE1) expression intrinsically or CCNE1 amplification induced by treatment of CDK4/6 inhibitors. Generative models that take advantage of deep learning are being increasingly integrated into early drug discovery for hit identification and lead optimization. Here we report the discovery of a highly potent and selective macrocyclic CDK2 inhibitor QR-6401 (23) accelerated by the application of generative models and structure-based drug design (SBDD). QR-6401 (23) demonstrated robust antitumor efficacy in an OVCAR3 ovarian cancer xenograft model via oral administration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yu
- Tencent
AI Lab, Tencent, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | | | - Hu He
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Jing Han
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Geyan Ye
- Tencent
AI Lab, Tencent, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Tingyang Xu
- Tencent
AI Lab, Tencent, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | | | - Xiumei Chen
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Xiaoming Ren
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Chunlai Li
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Huijuan Li
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yangyang Liu
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Xinjuan Wang
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yongzhi Gao
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Nianhe Cheng
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Na Guo
- BioDuro-Sundia, Shanghai, 200131, China
| | - Xibo Chen
- BioDuro-Sundia, Shanghai, 200131, China
| | | | - Yuxia Hua
- BioDuro-Sundia, Beijing, 102200, China
| | - Chong Liu
- BioDuro-Sundia, Beijing, 102200, China
| | - Guoyun Zhu
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Zhi Xie
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Lili Yao
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Wenge Zhong
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Xinde Chen
- Tencent
AI Lab, Tencent, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Tencent
AI Lab, Tencent, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Hailong Li
- Regor
Therapeutics Group, Shanghai, 201210, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Duran-Frigola M, Cigler M, Winter GE. Advancing Targeted Protein Degradation via Multiomics Profiling and Artificial Intelligence. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:2711-2732. [PMID: 36706315 PMCID: PMC9912273 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Only around 20% of the human proteome is considered to be druggable with small-molecule antagonists. This leaves some of the most compelling therapeutic targets outside the reach of ligand discovery. The concept of targeted protein degradation (TPD) promises to overcome some of these limitations. In brief, TPD is dependent on small molecules that induce the proximity between a protein of interest (POI) and an E3 ubiquitin ligase, causing ubiquitination and degradation of the POI. In this perspective, we want to reflect on current challenges in the field, and discuss how advances in multiomics profiling, artificial intelligence, and machine learning (AI/ML) will be vital in overcoming them. The presented roadmap is discussed in the context of small-molecule degraders but is equally applicable for other emerging proximity-inducing modalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miquel Duran-Frigola
- CeMM
Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria,Ersilia
Open Source Initiative, 28 Belgrave Road, CB1 3DE, Cambridge, United Kingdom,
| | - Marko Cigler
- CeMM
Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg E. Winter
- CeMM
Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria,
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhang Y, Luo M, Wu P, Wu S, Lee TY, Bai C. Application of Computational Biology and Artificial Intelligence in Drug Design. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13568. [PMID: 36362355 PMCID: PMC9658956 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional drug design requires a great amount of research time and developmental expense. Booming computational approaches, including computational biology, computer-aided drug design, and artificial intelligence, have the potential to expedite the efficiency of drug discovery by minimizing the time and financial cost. In recent years, computational approaches are being widely used to improve the efficacy and effectiveness of drug discovery and pipeline, leading to the approval of plenty of new drugs for marketing. The present review emphasizes on the applications of these indispensable computational approaches in aiding target identification, lead discovery, and lead optimization. Some challenges of using these approaches for drug design are also discussed. Moreover, we propose a methodology for integrating various computational techniques into new drug discovery and design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, Shenzhen 518172, China
| | - Mengqi Luo
- School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China
- South China Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518116, China
| | - Peng Wu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Song Wu
- South China Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518116, China
| | - Tzong-Yi Lee
- School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, Shenzhen 518172, China
| | - Chen Bai
- School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, Shenzhen 518172, China
| |
Collapse
|