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Insilico and TaiGen Achieve Milestone in CKD Anemia Collaboration
AI-driven drug candidate ISM4808 completes first-in-human dosing in Phase I trial
Published on Mar. 6, 2026
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Insilico Medicine, a clinical-stage biotech company using AI, announced that its CKD anemia drug candidate ISM4808, which was out-licensed to TaiGen Biotechnology, has completed enrollment and dosing of the first subject in a Phase I clinical trial. ISM4808 is a potential best-in-class oral HIF-PHD inhibitor discovered using Insilico's generative chemistry platform, with advantages over traditional treatments.
Why it matters
CKD-related anemia is a major complication affecting over 15% of CKD patients in Greater China, where the prevalence of CKD is rising. ISM4808 represents a novel oral treatment option that could offer improved efficacy and safety compared to existing therapies, potentially addressing an important unmet medical need in this patient population.
The details
Under a 2025 licensing agreement, TaiGen obtained exclusive rights to develop, commercialize, and sublicense ISM4808 in Greater China. The Phase I study is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of ISM4808 in healthy adults. Insilico is eligible for upfront, milestone, and royalty payments that could reach tens of millions in total deal value.
- In December 2025, Insilico and TaiGen entered into a licensing agreement for the ISM4808 program.
- In early 2026, TaiGen efficiently initiated preparations and completed enrollment and dosing of the first subject in the Phase I clinical trial.
The players
Insilico Medicine
A clinical-stage biotechnology company powered by generative artificial intelligence, focused on accelerating drug discovery and innovation in life sciences.
TaiGen Biotechnology
A biopharmaceutical company in Greater China that obtained exclusive rights to develop, commercialize, and sublicense Insilico's ISM4808 drug candidate.
ISM4808
An AI-driven PHD inhibitor discovered by Insilico for the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD)-related anemia, which has potential advantages over traditional therapies.
What they’re saying
“ISM4808 is an important milestone in TaiGen's drug development strategy. Within 3 months of in-licensing the program, our team completed the challenging process from regulatory preparation to first-subject enrollment and dosing, demonstrating TaiGen's clinical development expertise.”
— Kuo-Lung Huang, Chairman of TaiGen Biotechnology (PRNewswire)
“We are deeply impressed by our partner TaiGen, who achieved clinical enrollment in less than three months after in-licensing the program. This highly efficient translational model—'AI-enabled early discovery + professional clinical development'—greatly shortens the distance from concept to the clinic.”
— Feng Ren, PhD, Co-CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of Insilico Medicine (PRNewswire)
What’s next
TaiGen plans to continue accelerating the clinical progress of ISM4808 to advance into the next stage of development as soon as possible.
The takeaway
The rapid advancement of the AI-discovered ISM4808 drug candidate into human trials by Insilico and TaiGen demonstrates the potential of integrating AI technologies to streamline drug discovery and development, with the goal of bringing innovative treatments to patients with unmet medical needs.
