Italy accelerates drug discovery with AI and funds rare‑disease research

Artificial intelligence is reshaping pharmaceutical development in Italy. Advanced AI systems can generate millions of novel molecular structures, shortening the time and cost needed to identify promising drug candidates for infectious diseases, cancer and rare conditions. Researchers are already using the technology to design experimental vaccines, discover new antibiotics and study protein targets.

At the same time, the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) has approved funding for 19 independent research projects on rare diseases, allocating €17.55 million for 2025. The grants support pre‑clinical and clinical studies, drug‑repurposing efforts and the development of plasma‑derived orphan medicines. Officials stress that public investment is essential to generate evidence in areas that receive limited commercial interest and to expand therapeutic options for patients with few or no existing treatments.