#50 - Scaling drug discovery with quantum physics and AI - Maximilien Levesque - Aqemia

What's the link between quantum physics, AI, and drug discovery?

Maximilien Levesque might be the perfect person to answer.

A former theoretical physicist, he realised his research could transform drug development by fundamentally understanding how molecules interact at the atomic level.

In 2019, he co-founded Aqemia with Emmanuelle Martiano Rolland to turn that vision into reality.

Their mission is bold: to design new molecules, atom by atom, capable of binding "undruggable" therapeutic targets.

Unlike AI models that base themselves on existing compounds, Aqemia's generative engine creates novel structures, opening up a new universe of possibilities.

In this episode, Maximilien pulls back the curtain on one of TechBio's most promising medical technology startups.

With passion and clarity, he breaks down their approach to drug design, explaining how these "digitally-native" compounds go from the numeric world to real-world testing.

A conversation to understand the ins and outs of an ongoing revolution in the pharmaceutical industry!

Timeline:

• 00:00:00 - Maximilien's background as a researcher in mathematics and quantum physics
• 00:03:46 - What drew Maximilien to drug discovery
• 00:05:43 - The link between quantum physics and drug discovery
• 00:10:27 - Aqemia's technology to design new molecules atom-by-atom
• 00:18:36 - Aqemia's pipeline and ongoing preclinical programs
• 00:20:27 - The difference between AI-based drug discovery and physics-based drug discovery
• 00:27:55 - Striking a balance between internal development programs and external collaborations
• 00:32:35 - Aqemia's approach to talent recruitment at the interface of biology, mathematics, and computer science
• 00:34:23 - Maximilien's wish to enter clinical trials in 2026

What we also talked about with Maximilien:

• HIMSS Europe
• École Normale Supérieur (ENS)
• Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA)
• Ornstein-Zernike equation
• American Institute of Physics
• Sanofi
• Institut Gustave Roussy

We cited with Maximilien some of the past episodes of the series:

• #40 - Cracking biology through AI - JP Vert - Owkin
• #33 - Building the next TechBio venture - Mati Gill - AION Labs
• #13 - Catalyzing drug discovery using organ-on-a-chip models - Bas Trietsch - Mimetas

You can learn more about Maximilien's publications here and prompt ChatGPT, as he suggested, to find out more about quantum physics, AI, and their applications in the field of drug discovery!

You can reach out to Maximilien via LinkedIn and follow Aqemia's activities on their website and LinkedIn page!

This conversation is part of Impulse's exploration of how science, medicine, and technology are transforming drug discovery.

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