Google DeepMind, in collaboration with Yale University, has introduced a novel artificial intelligence system that promises to significantly advance cancer treatment strategies. The C2S-Scale 27B model is capable of identifying complex biological patterns within cells and predicting how various drugs will affect tumors.
This AI has uncovered a mechanism that enables "cold" tumors to become perceptible to the immune system. Typically, these tumors evade detection by immunity, complicating treatment efforts, particularly immunotherapy. The new findings may pave the way for combination therapies that were previously unattainable.
C2S-Scale 27B analyzed over 4000 drugs on tumor samples from patients and in laboratory settings. The model successfully identified substances that selectively enhance immune responses without affecting all cells indiscriminately.
Among the most intriguing discoveries is the CK2 kinase inhibitor silmitasertib (CX-4945). The AI predicted that this drug operates effectively only in the presence of a small amount of interferon within cells. Using either the drug or interferon alone had minimal effects, while their combination increased immune system activity by 50%, "warming up" the tumors and rendering them visible to the body's defensive cells.
The AI's predictions were validated in laboratory settings with neuroendocrine human cells that the model had not previously encountered. This demonstrates that the system can not only process data but also draw context-based conclusions.
According to scientists, large AI models could act as "virtual laboratories," conducting thousands of simulations and revealing unknown connections between drugs, cells, and the immune system.
"This discovery could represent a new avenue for cancer treatment development," stated Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
The success of C2S-Scale 27B illustrates that AI has the potential to accelerate scientific research and facilitate the creation of effective treatment methods much faster than traditional approaches.
It’s worth noting that researchers from New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) recently introduced a new type of brain implant capable of delivering drugs simultaneously to multiple areas of the brain with high precision.