Tailoring Treatments with AI: Insights from Sanofi’s Shameer Khader

In a recent interview at Machinecon USA 2023, Shameer Khader, a leader from the biopharmaceutical company Sanofi, delved into the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the realm of healthcare and pharmaceuticals. His insights provide a glimpse into the future of patient-centric treatments and the harmonious integration of AI in healthcare.

Chasing the Miracles of Science with AI

Sanofi, as Khader describes, is a company dedicated to “chasing the miracles of science.” They harness the power of data, AI, machine intelligence, and the invaluable data from clinical trials and experiments. Khader leads the computational biology cluster within Sanofi, a part of the precision medicine function. The primary goal of precision medicine is to develop treatments tailored to individual patients.

Khader highlighted a significant challenge in healthcare: even the most successful medicines might only be effective for 30-40% of patients. The pressing questions are: Who are these responders? Who are the non-responders? Can data help identify them? Can therapies be developed specifically targeting these subsets? These are the challenges that Sanofi aims to address using a suite of technologies, including AI, large language models, and generative AI.

The Future of AI in Healthcare: A Hybrid Approach

A common concern in the integration of AI in healthcare is the potential loss of human touch. Will there be reduced human interaction in healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry due to AI?

Khader believes in a future where AI and human interactions coexist harmoniously. He envisions a “hybrid relationship” where the future of AI, especially in healthcare, is a combination of man and machine. Contrary to the fear of losing the human touch, Khader argues that AI can enhance human interactions. For instance, if a doctor can currently see 10 patients, with the aid of AI, they might be able to see 20 or 30. While AI can automate paperwork and certain interactions, the core element of human interaction remains intact.

In conclusion, Shameer Khader’s insights at Machinecon USA 2023 offer a promising vision of the future of healthcare. He emphasizes the potential of AI to tailor treatments to individual patients, ensuring more effective and personalized care. However, he also stresses the importance of maintaining a balance between AI-driven processes and human interactions, ensuring that the essence of care remains human-centric.