[E-Daily Shin Ha-yeon Reporter] Curiosis Inc., a company specializing in lab automation, announced on the 15th that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the AI New Drug Research Institute—an affiliate of the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Association—to foster the training of professionals in AI-driven new drug development and facilitate technological exchange.

This agreement was established to advance the AI-driven new drug development industry and cultivate talent in the field of Self-Driving Labs (SDL). Over the next five years, the two parties plan to collaborate on developing and operating AI-driven new drug development training programs, exchanging information on Self-Driving Lab technologies and industry trends, and dispatching instructors.

The AI New Drug Research Institute is an affiliate of the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Association established to foster AI-based new drug development and create a digital innovation ecosystem for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. It promotes the training of specialized personnel, policy research, and networking among industry, academia, research institutes, and hospitals.

Through this agreement, Curiosis Inc. plans to leverage the lab automation technology it has accumulated in the field of autonomous laboratories for workforce training programs and other initiatives. An autonomous laboratory is a system that uses AI and robotic automation technologies to automate research processes such as experiments and analysis; it serves as infrastructure for efficiently generating the data required for AI-driven drug development.

Curiosis Inc. is developing lab automation products such as the live-cell imaging system “Celloger,” the cell separation and concentration system “Cellpuri,” and the automated colony picking system “CPX.” The company also supplies automation equipment to state-led initiatives such as the K-BioFoundry project led by the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB).

Curiosis Inc. official stated, “The success or failure of AI-driven drug discovery depends on autonomous laboratory infrastructure capable of rapidly and accurately collecting high-quality data, as well as specialized personnel capable of handling it,” adding, “Through collaboration with the AI New Drug Research Institute, affiliated with the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association, we will spare no effort in providing technical and educational support to help South Korea lead the global AI-driven drug discovery market.”