Singapore artificial intelligence (AI) biotech firm Nanyang Biologics Pte Ltd (NYB) is teaming up with Equinix and HPE to offer Vecura, an as-a-Service proprietary AI-driven platform for drug discovery to advance development from natural sources.
With the support of these global leaders, NYB aims to build the world’s largest natural drug compound library in Singapore within the next year, according to the firm’s statement on Wednesday.
The parties have signed an exclusive memorandum of understanding (MOU) for multi-party collaborative business engagement in Singapore.
Goh Hanyan, Co-chair of the Committee on Technology and Innovation and Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore, hailed this initiative as another significant step in the country’s quest to be a leading hub for healthcare and biomedical and life sciences in Asia.
Meanwhile, NYB’s Chairman Dr Roland Ong, emphasized the key objective that the firm is working together to transform nature’s pharmacy into tomorrow’s solutions for health and well-being.
“We are building on the pioneering research of our NYB–NTU Joint Laboratory, which has been studying tropical medicinal plants since 2019,
“NYB’s mission is to turn this hidden chemistry into therapies and wellness solutions,” he said.
To achieve this, he said the company has built one of the world’s most diverse living libraries — already comprising over 50,000 unique organisms and their chemical compounds — and paired it with Vecura, NYB’s proprietary AI platform, to uncover what was once invisible.
“This initiative also positions Singapore as a global hub where biodiversity meets artificial intelligence, and where hidden compounds are translated into breakthroughs for better healthcare, wellness, and everyday life,” he added.
Cited JTC, NYB noted that Singapore’s biopharmaceutical and medical technology sector is a vital component of the nation’s economy.
In 2023, it accounted for 2.6 percent of Singapore’s gross domestic product (GDP) and generated nearly $38 billion in product value for global markets.
The country’s strategic location, strong infrastructure, and supportive ecosystem make it an attractive destination for companies in the biomedical field.
Under the MOU, NYB will lead platform development, working closely with its partner to optimize model performance on next-generation GPU architectures and integrate seamlessly into its global AI ecosystem.
HPE will power the engine with powerful computing and AI infrastructure to enable large-scale molecular screening, while Equinix anchors the system within sovereign digital infrastructure, ensuring both security and international accessibility.
“NYB’s living library is continuously expanding, this process is creating a huge and growing database of potential therapeutic impact,
“To scale this effort, NYB has chosen to work with global leaders like Equinix and HPE who provide enterprise-grade infrastructure to power the Vecura platform,” said Giang Nguyen, NYB’s Group Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
According to him, the support from these global giants forms the foundation of Vecura to enable the growth of NYB’s expanding compound library, reducing research and development (R&D) costs and timelines while enabling breakthroughs in oncology, neuroscience, metabolic health, and beyond.”
Yee May Leong, Managing Director, Equinix, Singapore, said that they stand at the forefront of a transformative era in healthcare and life sciences, fueled by the power of collaboration and innovation.
“Partnering with Nanyang Biologics and HPE, we are harnessing AI to accelerate drug discovery, enhance patient outcomes and redefine what is possible,
“This consortium is a catalyst for change, empowering us to unlock limitless opportunities and create a future where healthcare is accessible, effective, and personalized for all,” she added.
Khai Peng Loh, Managing Director, Southeast Asia, HPE, said the convergence of AI and biotechnology holds transformative potential for global healthcare.
“Our collaboration with NYB and Equinix marks a pivotal moment in accelerating drug discovery through scalable AI infrastructure,
“By powering Vecura with HPE’s AI infrastructure and computing, we’re enabling researchers to screen millions of natural compounds with unprecedented speed and precision,” he added.
Helming the collaboration, NYB will leverage on its significant knowledge and recognition gained in the area of AI-driven healthcare to transform global drug discovery.
By combining biodiversity and AI, Vecura enables the identification of therapeutic candidates that may not be captured through traditional discovery methods.
Vecura can improve both hit quality and translational relevance, with 27 percent higher predictive accuracy and 64 times greater screening efficiency than conventional methods.
Using this robust AI infrastructure, Vecura can run faster, scale more efficiently, and reduce R&D costs by more than 50 percent, while remaining flexible for growing compound libraries and complex pipelines.
“Our collaboration with world leaders with extensive networks and deep knowledge in their respective fields will drive our growth tremendously in terms of scalability, connectivity and security,” added Giang.
Under the partnership, the global partners will be able to provide enterprise-grade infrastructure including: GPU-powered infrastructure that supports high-volume molecular screening at unprecedented speed and scale; global connectivity that enables seamless collaboration with research organizations and accelerates discovery worldwide; accessibility to robust healthcare and life sciences ecosystems hosted in Equinix data centers in Singapore and across the globe, allowing direct and secure data exchange between industry players, and secure, energy-efficient systems designed to support sustainable operations while safeguarding sensitive scientific data.
“Since the dawn of time, humanity has looked to nature as the bedrock of knowledge and healing. Together with our partners, we are transforming the diversity of life around us into discoveries that improve health, enhance resilience, and enrich the lives of communities everywhere,
“By knowing what exists in nature and accurately mapping its effects on the human body, we can give humanity greater control over health — and ultimately, over longevity itself,” said Giang.
Together with its partners, NYB and the Vecura platform are demonstrating how the next generation of medicine can grow directly from the diversity of life.
This initiative highlights the power of cross-industry collaboration and demonstrates how strategic cooperation between technology, biotechnology, and healthcare leaders can accelerate global advancements in drug discovery, healthtech, and AI-driven solutions.
Cited research studies, the statement highlighted that global drug discovery platforms market size was valued at $186.24 million in 2024 and is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 13 percent to hit around $635.45 million by 2034.
“As the global drug discovery platforms market continues its upward trajectory, the Asia-Pacific region is projected to grow at the fastest rate during the next decade,” observed Giang.
“With our strategic location here in Asia, we are well-poised to capitalize on the myriad of opportunities in the life sciences and healthcare sectors,
“Increasing government and commercial focus on delivering sustainable life-saving innovations to meet the demands of demographic changes in Asia will mean significant growth prospects for us,” he added.