Miles Wang, an OpenAI researcher who studied how AI can accelerate scientific and biological discovery, is reportedly leaving to start an AI drug discovery company. Several other OpenAI researchers may follow him.
The new company is said to be in talks to raise about $200 million at a $2 billion valuation, with Lightspeed Venture Partners potentially leading the round. But the deal hasn't been finalized.
The project would use AI to find new uses for existing drugs — or re-evaluate drugs that have already failed clinical trials. That route is typically faster than developing a drug from scratch.
Wang has denied the reported funding figures and company description, though he hasn't offered a correction.