Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, east China - Recent A Chinese medical research lab in Hangzhou City of east China's Zhejiang Province is using artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up the development timeline for a new drug to treat progeria, a rare genetic condition that causes rapid aging in children. The Liangzhu Laboratory, also known as the Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory for Systems Medicine and Precision Diagnosis, was established in 2020 on the campus of Zhejiang University. Using AI algorithms, the lab has designed and developed a new drug for treating the disease and has achieved outstanding results in laboratory trials ahead of upcoming clinical trials. Shen says there are over 7,000 known rare diseases worldwide, yet very few treatment options exist. The traditional drug development process, ranging from target identification and drug screening to clinical trials and regulatory approval, is not only expensive but also time-consuming. The application of AI large models is now helping to transform this process. In 2021, the Liangzhu Laboratory formed a multidisciplinary team, bringing together experts in clinical medicine, biology, mathematics, computer science, and statistics. Since then, the team has developed several deep learning AI algorithms, with a focus on precision diagnosis and treatment for genetic and rare diseases. Shotlist: Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, east China - Recent: 1. Aerial shot of Liangzhu Laboratory at Zhejiang University; 2. Various of researchers working, having discussion; 3. Various of researchers working in lab; 4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Shen Ning, researcher, Liangzhu Laboratory: "Our project has been underway for about three years, with 90 percent of the time actually spent on [preclinical] experiments. Thanks to AI algorithms, our drug design process has been remarkably fast and efficient."; 5. Various of researchers working in lab; 6. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Shen Ning, researcher, Liangzhu Laboratory (ending with shot 7): "With traditional large-scale screening, the development of small molecule drugs used to take 15 to 20 years, with a very high failure rate. Now, with the support of AI algorithms, the drug development cycle can be shortened to just three to five years."; 7. Various of researchers working in lab; 8. Various of researchers in meeting; 9. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Shen Ning, researcher, Liangzhu Laboratory (starting with shot 8/ending with shot 10): "We analyze disease data for different diseases and even individual patients. We hope that with AI tools, we can provide a more personalized treatment plan for each patient."; 10. Various of researchers working in lab. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]