From discovering compounds that could eventually become drugs to training chatbots to support patients taking those drugs, artificial intelligence can play a role anywhere along the drug development cycle. One of those points is clinical trials, where this technology can make studies easier for patients and investigators to navigate, and ultimately help biopharma companies make the best drugs they can.

Earlier this year, MyoKardia presented preliminary data showing its long-awaited targeted heart therapy mavacamten could move the needle on certain cardiac protein biomarkers linked to signs of heart stress and injury.

Brown adipose tissue is known as the healthy fat because it burns calories to produce heat. White fat, by contrast, can build up and cause obesity.

A fast diagnosis is essential when dealing with a possible heart attack. Typically, emergency room clinicians scan the chest for signs using either an ultrasound or an electrocardiogram, or send away for a blood test that could take an hour or more.

While drugs like Roche’s Herceptin have greatly improved the prospects for people diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer, more than half of patients develop brain metastases. And because most drugs can’t cross the blood-brain barrier, treating the cancer once it has spread is challenging.

Amazon has launched its own fitness wearable and health app, built not just to log a person’s physical activity, but to also track their emotional wellbeing, by scanning the tone of their voice day-to-day.

Californian siteless trial specialist Science 37 is joining forces with trial data collector ERT to grab the same high-quality data in a virtual model as it would in a traditional model.

Takeda and Ovid’s epilepsy drug topped placebo at reducing seizure frequency in children with rare, genetic forms of epilepsy, topline phase 2 data show. The drug performed better in Dravet syndrome than in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, teeing up a phase 3 study in the former, while prompting the partners to dig into the data for the latter to determine its next steps.

Bionano Genomics has acquired the Salt Lake City-based Lineagen, to incorporate its genetic diagnostic services covering childhood neurodevelopmental disorders and autism spectrum disorder.

On the heels of a Big Pharma deal worth up to $500 million, Yumanity Therapeutics is merging its way onto Wall Street. The neuro-focused biotech is joining up with Proteostasis, which once planned to move a cystic fibrosis drug into the clinic this year but is now looking for someone to buy its pipeline.