Our Insights
McKinsey Cancer Center

The potential for AI to change cancer drug discovery and development

September 24, 2024 | Video

The impending AI–driven life science revolution promises transformative effects on human health and well-being. An accelerated drug discovery process, for example, can help cure more diseases more quickly, opening additional resources that could then be applied to currently underserved areas. With rarer forms of disease, including some of the hardest-to-treat cancers, the potential for AI to impact drug discovery and development holds significant promise for saving lives, reducing costs, and catalyzing further research.

Our feature in the Rewriting Cancer digital series explores AI’s potential to accelerate drug discovery and development in cancer care, and what is required to get treatments to cancer patients twice as quickly at a cost that is one-third lower. The series is presented by UICC, and produced for them by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions.

Through our extensive expertise with a diversity of AI and Life Sciences clients, McKinsey is uniquely positioned to help tackle some of the most intractable problems in cancer care. Combining the expertise of the McKinsey Cancer Center and QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, we are proud to support clients in biopharmaceuticals, health systems and hospitals to unlock the power of AI to help treat, cure and prevent cancer.

Featured experts

Dr. Björn Albrecht
Senior PartnerParis
Heads the McKinsey Cancer Center, Leads our Life Sciences Practice in France and leads our work on cancer globally, working with biotech and pharmaceutical companies, health systems, payors and providers
Alex Devereson
PartnerLondon
Advises bio-pharmaceutical companies and investors on innovation and growth through holistic R&D transformations and at-scale deployment of digital and analytics across the value chain

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