Isomorphic Labs

Isomorphic Labs was spun out of Google DeepMind in 2021 to do one thing: use the protein-structure work behind AlphaFold to actually design drugs. Knowing a protein’s shape tells you where a molecule could bind to it, which is the starting point for almost every modern medicine.

It is led by DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and works with pharmaceutical companies including Novartis and Eli Lilly. It raised billions to push its programmes toward clinical trials. The honest caveat is that drug discovery timelines are measured in years and most candidates fail, so the field’s real test is still ahead.