ZIMSPHERE
HARARE – Zimbabwean scientists have announced a groundbreaking discovery that could significantly alter the treatment landscape for Alzheimer's disease and melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. The discovery, which leverages advanced artificial intelligence, holds the potential to revolutionise the way these diseases are treated globally.
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| Professor Simon Mukwembi speaks to journalists in Harare on September 5, 2024, flanked by Dr Amos Marume (left) and Dr Isaac Mutingwende (right) [Image: NRTV] |
Leading the research, Professor Simon Mukwembi revealed on Thursday that the team has identified a chemical compound capable of selectively targeting malignant cancer cells without harming healthy cells.
This discovery was made possible through an innovative AI system named Rutava, premised on “machine learning and mathematical formula” and which has been developed and refined by the research team.
“The good thing that Rutava does is you can recalibrate it for other diseases,” Mukwembi said at a press conference in Harare. “What we have worked on right now is melanoma skin cancer. But we can extend out to address all other cancers without difficulty because we now have the innovative technology. We also developed, using Rutava, a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.”
Rutava, a digital system underpinned by artificial intelligence, machine learning, and complex mathematical algorithms, promises to dramatically reduce the time required for drug discovery and development, according to the team of researchers.
Traditionally, this process could take up to 15 years and cost around $3 billion for a single compound. However, Mukwembi stated that Rutava could slash this timeline to just a few months, making it a disruptive force in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly for the Global South.
“I’m pleased to say we used Rutava to discover drugs for treatment of different diseases. First, there is cancer. We’ve got a compound that can target only cancerous cells in the human body,” Prof. Mukwembi said. He added that while current cancer treatments tend to target both healthy and malignant cells, Rutava’s precision focuses exclusively on the latter.
“It’s virtually automatic (Rutava), and it keeps improving the parameters, it keeps improving each time you use it. Because when you are analysing a dataset of a lot of molecules, you are also training the algorithm to be much better the next time,” Prof. Mukwembi said.
The research, conducted in collaboration with the University of Witwatersrand and the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, has raised hopes for a broader application of Rutava in treating various forms of cancers.
Prof. Mukwembi emphasised that although the current focus is on Alzheimer's and melanoma, the technology’s adaptability could lead to breakthroughs in other areas as well.
Prof. Mukwembi was joined by key figures of the Harare Institute of Public Health (HIPH), including Dr. Amos Marume, the institute’s principal, and Dr. Isaac Mutingwende, its registrar.
The project also involves an international team of scientists, including Dr. Eloise van der Merwe, Prof. Farai Nyabadza, Prof. Yasien Sayed, Prof. Betsie Jonck, Prof. Eunice Mphako-Banda, Dr. Ronnie Maartens, Moster Zhangazha, Neo Padi, and Thabelo Mulenga.
Dr. Marume noted that while their discovery will be patented, the team will need additional funding to bring these treatments to market.
The discovery could have a profound impact on global health. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, currently affects over 55 million people worldwide, contributing to 60-70% of dementia cases.
In 2019, dementia-related costs reached $1.3 trillion, with nearly half attributed to care provided by informal carers such as family members.
Melanoma, meanwhile, is the most invasive form of skin cancer and has the highest mortality rate among skin cancers. Despite its severity, it is highly curable if detected early. In 2022, approximately 330,000 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed worldwide, and nearly 60,000 people died from the disease.
This research could be a game changer in terms of how African innovation is perceived globally when it comes to scientific and medicinal breakthroughs. And if given more funding, it could give hope to many people worldwide who suffer from these diseases.
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