AWS and Memorial Sloan Kettering partner to advance AI in cancer research

USA – Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) have announced a partnership to harness artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), and cloud technology to accelerate cancer research and drug discovery.

AWS, one of the world’s largest cloud providers, recently reported US $107.6 billion in segment sales for 2024.

Meanwhile, MSK, a leading cancer treatment and research center in New York City, played a role in 11 drug approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year.

These approvals covered a range of advancements, including “new uses for existing drugs, more effective drug combinations, engineered cell therapies, and novel classes of targeted therapies.”

A key focus of this collaboration is the development of a longitudinal data resource that will help researchers and industry partners validate their findings.

By integrating AI-driven insights, MSK aims to enhance personalized treatment strategies and improve patient care.

To achieve this, the institution will leverage large language models (LLMs) using Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker.

These tools will help refine data quality, allowing for secure processing of de-identified patient information and boosting data accuracy.

The platform will also serve as a testing environment where researchers can evaluate AI model performance and track disease progression through computable disease trajectories.

In addition to enhancing research, the partnership will accelerate drug discovery. MSK researchers will use the AWS Drug Discovery Workbench to screen millions of compounds, identifying potential therapeutic candidates faster.

AWS’s high-performance computing solutions, such as AWS Parallel Cluster, will support complex simulations and Cryo-EM data processing to analyze protein structures and drug interactions.

These innovations are expected to reduce both the time and cost involved in developing new cancer treatments.

AI is playing an increasingly significant role in narrowing the search for viable drug candidates. By helping researchers focus on the most promising options early in the process, AI can lower costs and shorten development timelines.

AWS has been strengthening its presence in the healthcare sector through multiple partnerships. In January, it teamed up with Aidoc to tackle challenges in care delivery using AI.

Later in 2024, AWS expanded its collaborations with Kipu Health to bring generative AI to behavioral health and with Sapio Sciences and NVIDIA to advance AI applications in drug discovery.

AWS also has long-standing relationships with major pharmaceutical companies. Since 2021, it has supported MSD’s cloud migration strategy, helping the company transition IT applications, including machine learning software and data warehouses, to AWS.

Additionally, pharmaceutical giants like Pfizer and Novartis have established long-term partnerships with AWS to leverage its cloud and AI capabilities for drug development.