SK Biopharmaceuticals announced a strategic partnership with AI startup PhnyX Lab to establish an AI-powered drug development framework, marking a significant step toward comprehensive digital transformation in pharmaceutical R&D. The agreement was signed during the Bio USA 2025 convention in Boston, with both companies committing to co-develop customized solutions that automate critical drug development processes.
AI-Driven Automation Across Development Pipeline
The collaboration centers on PhnyX Lab's proprietary generative AI platform Cheiron, which will be deployed to automate key processes including literature searches, data analysis, and document generation. The partnership will particularly focus on automating regulatory documentation required for clinical trial initiation, a traditionally time-intensive aspect of drug development.
"The pharmaceutical and biotech industries face significant challenges in digital transformation due to their complex workflows and heavy regulation," said Bae Min-seok, CEO of PhnyX Lab. "The partnership demonstrates that generative AI solutions can be effectively applied in real-world settings to improve both efficiency and accuracy in pharmaceutical operations."
Integration with Regulatory Databases
Cheiron represents an end-to-end AI solution specifically tailored for the pharmaceutical and biotech sector. The system connects with official databases from regulatory bodies including the US FDA and Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, as well as the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) classification system, to deliver high accuracy and practical utility in pharmaceutical operations.
The AI platform integrates and analyzes both internal and external academic data to automate the development process, providing comprehensive support across multiple stages of drug development.
Building on Existing AI Infrastructure
SK Biopharmaceuticals has already implemented AI technology through its in-house platform Huble, which is utilized in early stages of drug development for analyzing disease-causing genes and proteins and identifying drug candidates. The new collaboration with PhnyX Lab represents an expansion of AI application across the company's entire operations to maximize productivity.
"AI is no longer a choice, but a core capability in drug development," said Lee Dong-hoon, CEO of SK Biopharmaceuticals. "By partnering with PhnyX Lab, we plan to further embed AI into every stage of our drug development process and strengthen our competitiveness in the global market."
Expected Impact on Development Efficiency
SK Biopharmaceuticals expects this AI transformation to significantly enhance R&D productivity while dramatically reducing the time and cost associated with drug development and approval. The company describes the initiative as a "full-scale AI transformation" of its drug development workflow, positioning AI as a core component rather than an optional tool in modern pharmaceutical development.
The partnership demonstrates the growing recognition within the pharmaceutical industry that AI integration is essential for maintaining competitiveness in the global market, particularly as companies seek to streamline complex regulatory processes and accelerate time-to-market for new therapeutics.
