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Define Ventures has a shortlist of startups in the agentic AI space it's targeting, says managing partner Lynne Chou O'Keefe.

Why it matters: Agentic AI is emerging as a bridge for pharma amid continual federal disruptions to clinical research grant funding.

Zoom in: "Now we can have an infinite supply of Ph.D.-trained agents around multiple (therapeutic areas), around multiple areas of expertise," she says.

The firm, which has six funds with $800 million AUM, is also looking at investments using AI to optimize clinical site selection and enrollment, she says.

Between the lines: There are hundreds of use cases for AI agents to help with pharma's R&D, manufacturing, regulatory and commercial functions.

They can help with tasks like creating trial protocols, simulating cost scenarios and submitting to regulatory bodies. AI agents can also help identify and refine new drug candidates by leveraging data from genomics and historic trials.

The intrigue: While a federal judge last month ruled to restore hundreds of millions of dollars of NIH grants, researchers still face long waits for restored money — and thus can't return to work.

"These are the times when we have to do more with less," Chou O'Keefe says.

Zoom out: Define surveyed the top 20 pharma players, all of whom cited reducing administrative burden and improving workforce efficiency as an AI priority.

"That is where you can see ROI immediately," she says, versus more long-game, expensive use-cases like drug discovery.

State of play: Companies using AI to aid pharma research have raised substantial rounds this year. Google's Isomorphic raised $600 million in March, while Pathos AI raised $365 million at a $1.6 billion valuation in May.

The valuation environment for clinical AI generally is frothy, but Chou O'Keefe says Define is able to maintain prudence by leveraging its relationships.

"If we were to invest in a seed stage company, the ability to go to the CTO of Amgen or to go to the head of commercial of Genentech — which are relationships of ours — is just a very different position."

The big picture: Big Pharma budgets are contracting as they contend with macro challenges. AI spend is a notable exception to that shrink.

Per Define's new report, 85% of the top 20 pharma players plan to increase their AI budgets.

What they're saying: "In contrast to providers and payers, more of that budget is into the P&L unit leaders than, let's say, a more horizontal function like the innovation group," Chou O'Keefe says, indicating broader enterprise-wide coordination on AI within pharma.

Go deeper: Biotech's AI drug discovery boom

Agentic AI is a bridge for pharma

Define Ventures has a shortlist of startups in the agentic AI space it's targeting.

Illustration of a robot with a headset, its face is a screen which reads, "How may I help you?" 

Define Ventures has a shortlist of startups in the agentic AI space it&#x27;s targeting, says managing partner Lynne Chou O&#x27;Keefe.Why it matters: Agentic AI is emerging as a bridge for pharma amid continual federal disruptions to clinical research grant funding.

Agentic AI is a bridge for pharma

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