Chugai Pharmaceuticals Drops AI-Assisted Antibody
Chugai Pharmaceuticals backs its only AI-assisted antibody from the clinical pipeline. But the company is making one thing clear. Its confidence in AI Drug Discovery remains strong.
BRY10 is a chronic disease antibody that has reached Phase 1 Clinical Trials. A Japanese pharma company, a subsidiary of Roche, recently confirmed it has discontinued development of BRY10. This update was shared during Chugai’s financial results presentation on 29 January 2026. This is drawing major attention across the biotech and pharmaceutical industry.
While the move may sound like a step back, Chugai insists it is not a verdict on artificial intelligence in drug development, far from it.
Why Chugai Pharmaceuticals Backs BRY10?
BRY10 was being tested in Japan at Phase 1 Clinical Trials involving healthy adult male volunteers. According to Chugai, the decision to discontinue the program followed a detailed review of the data collected so far.
The company has not shared specific scientific or safety-related reasons for stopping the clinical trial. However, a Chugai spokesperson clarified that the decision was focused on the chronic disease indication. The decision was not made based on the underlying technology used to develop the antibody.
And most importantly, BRY10 was not entirely made by AI. Instead, lead optimization is the only part of the whole process that was supported by Chugai’s in-house AI platform called Malexa
As of now, Chugai has no clinical-stage assets designed using Malexa, but that does not signal the end of the platform’s use.
AI Drug Discovery Still Central to Chugai’s Strategy
Chugai has been quick to stress that the discontinuation of BRY10 is unrelated to AI-related concerns.
The company said that Malexa remains a flexible platform technology applicable across all antibody projects. The tool is still being considered for many future drug development programs.
The failure of one drug candidate is not equal to the failure of AI Drug Discovery. Drug development is a very risky process. Even the traditionally developed drugs fail in the early stages of clinical trials every year. Chugai believes that AI is simply another tool to help the researchers make better and safer decisions.
Bigger AI Vision of Chugai Pharmaceuticals
Beyond Malexa, Chugai Pharmaceuticals is thinking much bigger about artificial intelligence. The company traced an ambitious “AI Vision” in its latest presentation. The vision is built around three ideas: AI Everyday, AI Everywhere, and AI Transformation.
The main goal is to fix AI across research, development, and business operations, positioning it as a “partner” rather than just a tool. Chugai believes this approach delivers new value, improves efficiency, and contributes to broader societal change.
This long-term mindset shows that the company views AI not as a quick fix, but as a foundation for future innovation.
Big Promise, Slow Reality
AI has often been described as a solution to the slow and expensive process of drug discovery. No completely AI-designed drug has yet received FDA approval, though the technology has shown promise in targeted drug discovery, molecule design, and data analysis.
Insilico Medicine’s Rentosertib is the most advanced example to date, having recently completed a Phase 2a clinical trial for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The progress of the drug highlights both the potential and the patience required when applying AI to real-world medicine.
A Setback, Not a Signal to Stop
Dropping BRY10 appears to be a practical development decision and not a loss of faith in AI Drug Discovery, according to Chugai Pharmaceuticals.
The company’s message is clear. Innovation involves trial, error, and learning. AI may not deliver instant success. But Chugai believes that it will play a better role in shaping the future of drug discovery.
In a field where even the best science can fail, the continued investment of Chugai in AI suggests confidence and not caution about what lies ahead.
