DLeader Publishes Mini Review on the Opportunities and Challenges of AI in RNA Drug Discovery

A mini review by DLeader Founder & CEO Qingwen Chen, “From small molecules to oligonucleotides: artificial intelligence for RNA-targeted drug discovery,” was published in Frontiers in Chemical Biology on August 26, 2026.

The review examines how AI is advancing RNA-targeted drug discovery across small molecules and oligonucleotide therapeutics, including ASOs and siRNAs. It brings together developments in RNA structure prediction, target-site identification, and molecular design, while addressing challenges in data quality, predictive reliability, and experimental validation. It explores AI’s potential to support decisions throughout the discovery process by connecting RNA biology, molecular design, safety assessment, and therapeutic validation.

The article was written as an invited contribution to the Research Topic “Chemical Biology and Pharmacology,” developed following the InnoPharm 2025 conference in San Francisco.