Insilico Medicine Unveils ISM0387 as the First AI-Designed Drug Candidate Produced in UAE

Insilico Medicine reveals ISM0387, the first preclinical candidate designed in the UAE using generative AI to target aggressive glioblastoma brain tumors.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 25, 2026, 8:42 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from EurekAlert!

The Historic Arrival of the Falcon Economy’s First Pharmaceutical Asset

Insilico Medicine, a pioneer in generative artificial intelligence for drug discovery, officially nominated ISM0387 as its 30th preclinical candidate on April 23, 2026. This development marks a historic first for the United Arab Emirates, as the entire workflow from initial molecular design to optimization was executed by a specialized local team in Abu Dhabi. According to Alex Aliper, President of Insilico Medicine, the delivery of this compound at world-class standards in record time demonstrates how generative AI is shifting paradigms and development logics, effectively turning the region into a global science hub.

A Collaborative Framework for Sovereign Biotechnological Advancement

The nomination process was supported by a robust local ecosystem, involving the Emirates Drug Establishment, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi. This achievement reflects the maturity of a national model that integrates scientific research with regulatory and investment frameworks to accelerate the transition from discovery to real-world application. H.E. Saeed bin Mubarak Al Hajeri, Chairman of the Emirates Drug Establishment, stated that this progress strengthens the position of the UAE in global biotech value chains and supports a system capable of competing in high-value sectors.

Strategic Rationale Behind Targeting Aggressive Brain Tumors

The newly nominated candidate, ISM0387, is an MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor specifically engineered to address the critical unmet needs of patients with glioblastoma. This aggressive form of brain cancer accounts for nearly 48 percent of primary malignant brain tumors and has a high recurrence rate, yet treatment options remain largely limited to standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy. By focusing on synthetic lethality, the AI-driven approach targets cancer cells with specific genetic deletions while sparing healthy tissue, offering a more precise and less toxic alternative to first-generation inhibitors.