OpenAI researcher Miles Wang in talks for $2B AI drug-discovery startup
An OpenAI researcher whose work applied AI to scientific and biological discovery is leaving to launch an AI drug-discovery startup, with several other OpenAI researchers expected to join. The startup is in talks to raise about $200 million at a $2 billion valuation, with Lightspeed in discussions to lead, though the founder disputed the figures without specifying corrections.
The startup may focus on finding new uses for existing and previously failed drugs, a faster path to revenue than developing new medicines. It reflects surging investor interest in AI for life sciences: Chai Discovery raised $400 million at a $3.8 billion valuation the same day, and DeepMind spinout Isomorphic Labs raised $2.1 billion in May.
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