MindRank, a Hangzhou-based biotech startup, has begun phase 3 clinical trials in China for MDR-001, an AI-designed weight-loss drug.

The company says MDR-001 is the first AI-assisted category 1 new drug in China to reach this stage.

MindRank plans to seek regulatory approval in the second half of 2028 and target a market launch in 2029.

Founder and CEO Niu Zhangming said the drug took about four and a half years to develop, shorter than the usual seven to 10 years, and cut R&D costs by at least 60%.

MindRank uses AI to generate and shortlist drug candidates, with human experts overseeing key decisions.

Other firms are also advancing AI-driven drug discovery, including Insilico Medicine and Generate:Biomedicines.

🔗 Source: South China Morning Post