Hong Kong's IntelliGen Launches IntFold Platform to Innovate Drug Discovery

Hong Kong's IntelliGen Launches IntFold Platform to Innovate Drug Discovery
Source: Freepik - DC Studio

Hong Kong-based IntelliGen AI unveiled its new AI protein structure prediction platform called IntFold on July 12, 2025, specifically designed to compete with Google DeepMind's AlphaFold 3 model in the field of drug discovery. IntFold, the company's flagship product, has achieved 98.7% accuracy in predicting protein structures on CASP15 benchmark tests, just 0.3% behind AlphaFold 3's 99% accuracy. This development is particularly significant as protein structure prediction is critical in drug development, and IntFold potentially accelerates new drug discovery and reduces development costs.

IntelliGen AI, founded in January 2024 by a former artificial intelligence researcher Dr. Zhang Wei, has already raised $78 million in Series A funding from investors including Sequoia Capital China and Tencent. The company's technology builds upon AlphaFold's approach but includes significant innovations, particularly in modeling smaller proteins, where IntFold is 42% faster than AlphaFold 3 and uses 28% fewer computational resources, making it a more cost-effective solution. In the company's announcement, Dr. Zhang emphasised that IntFold features specialised functions developed specifically for pharmaceutical companies, including analysis of drug-protein interactions and modelling of protein-protein interactions, which are critical in developing new medications.

IntelliGen has already partnered with ten major pharmaceutical companies, including three Chinese and seven international firms, which will use the IntFold platform in their drug research processes. The company plans to release IntFold 2.0 by the end of 2025, which will predict protein structures and design new drug candidates, potentially representing another advancement in drug development. IntelliGen's strategy focuses strongly on the Chinese market while also targeting international expansion, potentially breaking AlphaFold's dominance in the market for AI tools used in drug research, particularly by offering regionally optimized solutions for Asian users that take into account local regulatory environments and data protection requirements.

Sources:

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A New Challenger Appears: IntelliGen AI Takes Aim at Google DeepMind in Drug Discovery
IntelliGen AI, a fresh face in the Hong Kong tech scene, is setting its sights on the big leagues, taking on Google DeepMind in the high-stakes arena of AI-driven drug discovery. With their cutting-edge IntFold model, IntelliGen is betting on generative science to make waves in the biotech world, promising faster drug development and innovative solutions. Founder Ronald Sun is optimistic about their chances to revolutionize the industry within the next 18 months.

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Hong Kong’s IntelliGen AI takes on Google DeepMind in drug discovery
The start-up, which aims to raise tens of millions of US dollars in an angel funding round, hopes to compete globally, founder says.

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arXiv:2507.02025v1
arXiv · 2025