Manas AI, an AI-driven drug discovery platform, has launched with $24.6 million in seed funding co-led by General Catalyst and LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, with participation from Greylock and other strategic investors. Founded by Reid Hoffman and Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, an oncologist, researcher, and author, Manas AI aims to revolutionize drug discovery.
The platform integrates proprietary AI, biology, generative computational chemistry, and advanced molecular docking to streamline drug development from identification to clinical trials. Manas AI claims its technology generates customized chemical libraries and applies AI filters to pinpoint high-potential therapeutic candidates with remarkable speed and accuracy.
Through a partnership with Microsoft, the company will leverage the Azure cloud computing platform and AI expertise to accelerate the development of treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases, and rare conditions. Initially, Manas AI will focus on aggressive cancers such as prostate cancer, lymphoma, and triple-negative breast cancer, with plans to target additional diseases later. The seed funding will support scaling its AI platform, expanding global clinical programs, and enhancing its drug candidate pipeline.
Microsoft Research President Peter Lee praised the venture, stating, "Amidst all the hype in AI-powered drug discovery today, Manas AI is poised to make truly practical, game-changing advances. It's especially exciting to integrate world-class AI capabilities with groundbreaking chemistry, biology, and wet-lab expertise as we aim to reshape the future of medicine."
The use of AI in drug discovery has accelerated in recent years, building on decades of foundational research. Highlighting the momentum in AI, President Trump recently announced Project Stargate, a $500 billion initiative involving Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank to construct data centers and campuses across the U.S. to advance AI applications, including cancer detection and personalized vaccines. The project’s initial phase includes 10 massive buildings in Abilene, Texas, with plans to expand to 20 and beyond.
Another player in AI drug discovery is Israel-based AION Labs, a partnership between pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Amazon Web Services, and Bio Med X. Supported by the Israeli government through the Israel Innovation Authority, AION Labs was founded in 2021 and operates as a venture studio, currently managing seven companies in its portfolio.
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