Case 4: AI-Driven Drug Repurposing
(COVID-19)
Goal: Rapidly identify an existing drug capable of treating COVID-19.
Method: A knowledge graph-based AI platform was deployed to map SARS-CoV-2 infection mechanisms against a database of approved drugs (drug repurposing).
Process: BenevolentAI’s system analyzed biomedical data on COVID-19 and profiles of thousands of compounds. Within days, the platform pinpointed baricitinib (an anti-inflammatory drug approved for rheumatoid arthritis) as a dual-action candidate: it could both inhibit viral entry into cells and mitigate cytokine storm. This hypothesis was published in The Lancet in February 2020, prompting expedited global clinical trials.
Result: The AI’s prediction succeeded—baricitinib reduced COVID-19 mortality in trials and was subsequently adopted into WHO treatment guidelines, marking one of the fastest examples of AI-driven drug repurposing in a pandemic.