Dubai, UAE – Prognica Labs, an AI-driven biomedical innovation company, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), one of India’s leading institutions for medical and life sciences education and research, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a long-term strategic collaboration aimed at advancing research, academic innovation, and public health outcomes through artificial intelligence.

The partnership brings together MAHE’s deep clinical, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and translational research expertise with Prognica Labs’ advanced AI platforms for drug discovery, drug repurposing, multi-omics intelligence, and digital health innovation. The collaboration is designed to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the global healthcare and life sciences ecosystem while nurturing future-ready talent.

Despite unprecedented advances in biomedical science, the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries continue to face structural and systemic challenges:

  • Escalating R&D Costs: The average cost of developing a new drug now exceeds USD 2–2.5 billion, with timelines stretching 10–15 years, placing immense pressure on innovators and investors.
  • High Failure Rates: Nearly 90% of drug candidates fail during clinical development, often due to lack of efficacy or safety signals identified too late.
  • Data Silos and Underutilization: Over 80% of biomedical data remains unstructured or underutilized, limiting its translational value.
  • Limited Translation from Academia to Industry: A significant proportion of high-quality academic research does not progress beyond publications into real-world clinical or commercial applications.
  • Growing Public Health Burden: Non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, metabolic diseases, and neurological conditions account for more than 70% of global deaths, with rising incidence in low- and middle-income populations.

This MoU directly responds to these challenges by integrating AI-driven discovery, clinical insights, and academic excellence into a unified, execution-focused collaboration.

Under the MoU, Prognica Labs and MAHE will collaborate across multiple centres of excellence within MAHE, including Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal School of Life Sciences (MSLS), Department of Biotherapeutics Research (DBR), Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MCOPS), and the Centre for Integrative Medicine & Research (CIMR)

Commenting on the collaboration, Khalid Shaikh, Founder & CEO of Prognica Labs, said: “This partnership with MAHE represents a powerful convergence of academic excellence and next-generation AI innovation. By working closely with clinicians, researchers, and students, we aim to significantly reduce the time, cost, and uncertainty associated with drug discovery while ensuring that our work delivers measurable public health impact.”

Key focus areas include:

  • AI-Driven Drug Discovery & Biotherapeutics: AI-powered target identification, drug repurposing, mechanistic disease modeling, and lead optimization.
  • Clinical Research & Digital Health: Development of clinical digital twins, predictive patient outcome models, real-world evidence analytics, and AI-based decision support systems.
  • Multi-Omics & Precision Medicine: Integrated genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics analysis for biomarker discovery and personalized therapies.
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences & ADMET: In-silico and in-vitro validation, formulation optimization, and translational pharmacology.
  • Skill Development & Talent Exchange: Joint certification programs, student internships, PhD/MSc research collaboration, faculty development, and innovation challenges.

Dr. Harish Kumar, Director, Manipal Academy of Higher Education added: “MAHE has always believed in translating knowledge into societal value. Collaborating with Prognica Labs allows us to embed advanced AI capabilities into our research and clinical ecosystem, empowering our faculty and students to address real-world healthcare challenges at scale.”

The collaboration is expected to generate significant value for both institutions and the broader ecosystem:

  • For MAHE: Accelerated research output, increased publications and patents, enhanced industry engagement, and expanded global opportunities for students and faculty.
  • For Prognica Labs: Access to high-quality clinical data, laboratory infrastructure, domain expertise, and joint validation of AI models leading to co-created intellectual property and commercialization pathways.
  • For the Industry: Faster translation of research into viable therapies, reduced R&D risk, and scalable AI-driven innovation models.
  • For Society: Improved access to knowledge, early detection strategies, and data-driven public health interventions.

A core pillar of the MoU is a shared commitment to public health impact and awareness. The partnership will jointly undertake:

  • Community-focused disease awareness programs in oncology, metabolic disorders, and chronic diseases
  • Public lectures and digital campaigns on AI in healthcare and preventive medicine
  • Data-driven population health studies leveraging anonymized real-world evidence
  • Training programs for clinicians and healthcare workers on AI-enabled decision support
  • Student-led outreach initiatives to promote health literacy and early screening

These initiatives aim to ensure that scientific and technological advances translate into tangible benefits for communities and public health systems.

Dr. Sujay Patil, Medical Advisor, Prognica Labs, said: “This partnership brings AI and clinical insight together to accelerate research translation, improve patient outcomes, and deliver measurable public health impact.”

Together, Prognica Labs and MAHE envision setting a new benchmark for AI-enabled biomedical research, talent development, and socially impactful innovation – benefiting academia, industry, and society at large.