Italian scientists say AI can cut drug‑development costs by 25% and timelines by 40%

Researchers from the Italian Forum of Scientific Societies (FoSSC) reported that artificial‑intelligence tools could reduce the cost of developing a new drug by about 25% and shorten the overall development time by roughly 40%. They noted that bringing a drug to market typically takes up to ten years and costs more than €2 billion, while only 12% of candidates reach regulatory approval.

The forum highlighted a sharp decline in oncology clinical trials in the West – a 34% drop in the United States and a 50% drop in Europe over the past decade – and pointed to China's emergence as the world leader in trial volume. Italy currently runs about 1,100 multinational studies, placing it third in oncology but with lower patient enrolment rates than Spain, France or Germany.

Panelists urged the creation of a national public‑private hub for biologics production and a more efficient technology‑transfer system to attract venture capital. They also warned that reimbursement procedures are lengthy, with an average 482‑day gap between EMA approval and national funding decisions.