Scientists use AI to identify existing drugs to fight COVID-19
The approach could help pick treatments to test on elderly people
A causal framework
Finally, the team used statistical algorithms to analyze causality in the network. This allowed them to identify the specific genes a drug should target to minimize the impact of infection.
The system highlighted the RIPK1 gene as a promising target for the COVID-19 drugs. The researchers then found a list of approved drugs that act on RIPK1.
Some of these have been approved for treating cancer, while others are already being tested on COVID-19 patients.
The researchers note that rigorous in vitro experiments and clinical trials are still required to determine their efficacy. But they also envision extending their framework to other infections:
You can read the study paperinNature Communications.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.
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