By Kudakwashe Pembere
As the search for a cancer cure is under way across the globe, a team of Zimbabwean born scientists say they discovered compounds using artificial intelligence, mathematical modelling and machine learning.
The algorithm targets cancer cells without interfering the normal healthy cells. These scientists are working alongside the University of Witwatersrand and the University of Johannesburg.
The lead scientist for this project is Harare Institute of Public Health (HIPH) chairperson and Head of the Mathematics School at the University of Witwatersrand Professor Simon Mukwembi working with the Institute’s principal Dr Amos Marume, as well as it’s registrar Dr Isaac Mutingwende.
They are working alongside the University of Witwatersrand and University of Johannesburg. Dr Eloise van der Merwe and her students, Prof Farai Nyabadza, Professor Yasien Sayed, Professor Betsie Jonck, Professor Eunice Mphako-Banda, Dr Ronnie Maartens, Mr Moster Zhangazha, Ms Neo Padi, and Mr Thabelo Mulenga are also part of the team.
Announcing this leading-edge discovery, Prof. Mukwembi said through Rutava they found a molecule to cure melanoma, a skin cancer.
“What I would say is, the good thing that Rutawa does is, you can recalibrate it for other diseases. So for the cancer, we’ve got quite a number of cancers, right? What we have worked on right now is melanoma skin cancer. But of course, we can extend the route out to sort out all the other cancers without difficulty because we now have the innovative technology,” he said.
He said the technology also discovered Alzheimer’s disease cure.
“We developed a digital technology based on AI, Machine learning, Mathematical formulars and it is now being used. And I ordinarily like to call it Rutava. I am pleased to say we used Rutava to discover drugs for treatment of different diseases. First there is cancer. We’ve got a compound that can target only cancer cells in the human body. Currently, the difficulty that is there is the available cancer drugs target both the cancer cells and the healthy normal cells. Rutava only targets the cancer cells,” he said. “About 10 million died of cancer in 2020 and the same number in 2023. So you can see the market for the cancer drug is huge the world over. We also developed, using the Rutava, a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.”
Inspired by the Education 5.0 which encourages the merging of theory with industrial practice, Prof Mukwembi said the technology has the potential to improve the pharmaceutical landscape in Zimbabwe. He said it also provides employment for the numerous unemployed while reducing the import bill at a time Zimbabwe imports much of its medical products.
Dr Marume said the technology is avant-garde to an extent that it can reduce the time and money needed in manufacturing a drug.
“It is also virtually, automatic here, the screening process, and also it’s something that you keep improving the parameters. it keeps improving by each time you use it. Because when you are analyzing a dataset of a lot of molecules, you are also training the algorithm to be much better the next time.
“I don’t know if you get what I’m saying, but I’m trying to make it as clear as possible. And also, just by the mere effect of time, averagely, the traditional drug discovery process would take you 15 years and maybe 3 billion for just one compound.
“Again, the technology is disruptive in that it greatly makes it much, much possible for global south to be able to turn itself into maybe a pharmaceutical giant for the manufacture of the world because it’s cheaper in terms of time.
“ It’s cheaper in terms of time. The technology will take just a few months to run through just the screening of a molecule, up to formulation studies and clinical trials. So, it does help in all those. So turning 15 years to a year, again this shows it is disruptive technology in the pharmaceutical value chain,” he said.
Dr Marume said they are working with the Ministry of Health and Child Care as well as the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development in some of the projects including the COVID-19 cure, HIPH is developing.
With the projects being done in South Africa, responding to the issue of patenting or ownership of thereof given they are being done by Zimbabweans, Dr Marume said, “So the concept is, because to get to a drug, it would require money. The clinical trial would require to be funded. So that’s where some people would then probably end up co-owning the patent, because they will have supported those elements which are important.”
Original story on https://healthtimes.co.zw/2024/09/05/zim-scientists-discover-cancer-cure/
