MindRank AI
MindRank AI is a clinical-stage AI-powered drug discovery company that uses proprietary platforms to design small molecule drugs, currently advancing an oral GLP-1RA in Phase III trials while serving global pharmaceutical partners through AI-enabled discovery collaborations and Design-as-a-Service offerings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersShanghai, China
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What MindRank AI does
MindRank AI is a clinical-stage AI-powered drug discovery company founded in 2021 and headquartered in Hangzhou, China, with additional offices in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and London. The company develops proprietary AI platforms, including Molecule Pro for end-to-end lead optimization, PharmKG (a biomedical knowledge graph with over 500,000 interconnections), Molecule Dance for protein-ligand binding dynamics, Medical Insight (a biomedical LLM), ProtaG for molecular glue design, and DeepDrugDiscovery for mechanism-aware screening, to identify and advance small molecule drug candidates. Its lead asset MDR-001, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist for obesity and type 2 diabetes, received US FDA IND clearance in 19 months from program initiation, achieved positive Phase IIb results with 10.3% mean weight reduction at 24 weeks, and entered Phase III MOBILE trials across 50 Chinese clinical centers in December 2025.
The company's portfolio spans oncology (MRANK-106 dual WEE1/YES1 inhibitor with FDA IND clearance, MRANK-103 MYC-targeting molecular glue, MRANK-101 P53 program), metabolic disease (MRANK-111 CB1, MRANK-119 GIP, and other preclinical obesity candidates), and CNS (Alzheimer's-focused DeepDrugDiscovery platform). MindRank operates a dual business model: advancing wholly-owned pipeline assets toward potential licensing or commercialization, while offering Design-as-a-Service and AI-enabled drug discovery collaborations to global pharmaceutical partners including Henlius, Antengene, Hisun, Medicilon, Chemexpress, BioMetas, and MSD China. Pricing for enterprise services is quote-based on multi-year contracts, and the company monetizes its platforms through professional services fees and prospective licensing royalties from internal pipeline assets.
The 40+ scientist team combines biopharma industry experience with AI competition credentials, and the company has been recognized on Forbes Asia 100 to Watch, KPMG Future Unicorn, and WAIC SAIL Award lists. Total disclosed funding stands at approximately $30 million across a $7 million seed (May 2021), a ~$19 million Series A (December 2021), and a $23 million Series A+ (July 2023). Academic collaborations span Cambridge, Imperial College London, Duke, Peking, Zhejiang, and other universities, supporting both research output and talent pipeline.
MindRank AI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MindRank AI
- Legal name
- MindRank Ltd.
- Website
- https://mindrank.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- MindRank AI is a clinical-stage AI-powered drug discovery company that uses proprietary platforms to design small molecule drugs, currently advancing an oral GLP-1RA in Phase III trials while serving global pharmaceutical partners through AI-enabled discovery collaborations and Design-as-a-Service offerings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MindRank AI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- AI Drug Discovery Platform
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization (HLAGAJAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Drug Discovery (Target ID/Validation & Hit Discovery) (HLAIALAA)
Keywords
Where MindRank AI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shanghai
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices4 records
Markets served
MindRank AI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Proprietary Drug Development: Internal pipeline development of novel therapeutics using proprietary AI platforms. Revenue generated through potential licensing deals, co-development agreements, and eventual commercialization of proprietary drug candidates. The company's GLP-1RA candidate MDR-001 has progressed from project initiation to US IND clearance in 19 months and into Phase III clinical trials.
- AI-Enabled Drug Discovery Services: Fee-for-service AI-powered drug discovery collaborations with pharmaceutical partners. Services include target identification, hit generation, lead optimization, ADMET prediction, and clinical candidate selection. Partners include Antengene, Medicilon, Chemexpress, Henlius, BioMetas, Hisun, and MSD China.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise pharmaceutical collaborations - custom pricing based on project scope |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
MindRank AI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MindRank AI develops and operates a suite of proprietary AI-powered drug discovery platforms (Molecule Pro™, PharmKG™, Molecule Dance™, ProtaG™, DeepDrugDiscovery) that enable end-to-end small molecule drug design from target identification through clinical candidate nomination. The company pursues a dual model: advancing its wholly-owned drug pipeline (lead asset MDR-001 oral GLP-1RA in Phase III) and providing Design-as-a-Service AI-enabled drug discovery collaborations to global pharmaceutical partners targeting hard-to-drug molecular targets.
Product overview
MindRank AI is a clinical-stage AI-powered drug discovery company offering a portfolio of proprietary AI platforms for end-to-end small molecule drug development. The core platform Molecule Pro™ enables lead optimization across potency, druggability, and novelty parameters. Supporting platforms include PharmKG™ (biomedical knowledge graph), Molecule Dance™ (protein-ligand binding dynamics), Medical Insight™ (AI large model for knowledge extraction), and DeepDrugDiscovery (virtual screening platform). The proprietary ProtaG™ platform handles molecular glue rational design. The company operates a dual model: developing wholly-owned drug candidates including MDR-001 (oral GLP-1RA in Phase III), MRANK-106 (WEE1/YES1 inhibitor in Phase I), and MRANK-103 (molecular glue in IND-enabling), while also offering Design as a Service to biopharma partners for collaborative drug discovery on difficult targets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Molecule Pro™ End-to-end AI-driven drug discovery platform that facilitates lead optimization across potency, druggability, and novelty parameters. Covers hit generation, lead optimization, ADMET prediction, and clinical candidate identification, capable of identifying clinical candidates with fewer than 100 synthesized and tested compounds. Targeted at pharmaceutical R&D teams and used internally for MindRank's wholly-owned pipeline.
- PharmKG™ Biomedical knowledge graph platform containing over 500,000 interconnections between genes, drugs, and diseases with 29 relation types and approximately 8,000 disambiguated entities. Provides structured knowledge representation for drug target identification, pathway analysis, and mechanism-of-action research, serving pharmaceutical R&D teams.
- Molecule Dance™ AI-enhanced molecular dynamics simulation platform that uses spatial-temporal pre-training methods to capture conformation flexibility and predict drug-protein binding affinities. Designed for pharmaceutical researchers requiring accurate prediction of protein-ligand binding dynamics and conformational changes.
- ProtaG™ AI-driven platform for molecular glue rational design and targeted protein degradation. Enables discovery of novel degradation mechanisms targeting cancer-related signaling pathways including MYC, CDK4/6, and transcription factors. Targeted at pharmaceutical researchers in oncology drug discovery.
- DeepDrugDiscovery AI-powered mechanism-aware screening platform integrating VAE, GRU, and Graph Transformer architectures for molecular representation learning. Screens large compound libraries for specific therapeutic targets with BBB permeability prediction for CNS drug discovery. Developed for Alzheimer's disease drug discovery applications in collaboration with University of Macau and Imperial College London.
- MDR-001 AI-designed oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Discovered using the Molecule Pro platform; demonstrates β-arrestin 2 selectivity with best-in-class potential. Progressed to Phase III clinical trials in approximately 4.5 years from program initiation, making it one of the first AI-designed molecules to reach this stage globally.
- MRANK-106 First-in-class oral dual WEE1/YES1 kinase inhibitor for oncology indications. Targets pancreatic cancer, small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. FDA IND cleared with Phase I trial planned.
- MRANK-103 AI-designed molecular glue drug candidate targeting the MYC signaling pathway. Shows 100% target degradation efficiency with picomolar DC50 levels. Targeting lung cancer, breast cancer, and brain metastases in IND-enabling studies.
- MRANK-111 CB1 receptor-targeting preclinical drug candidate for obesity treatment. Part of MindRank AI's wholly-owned metabolic disease pipeline.
- MRANK-116 Preclinical drug candidate targeting an undisclosed obesity indication. Part of MindRank AI's wholly-owned metabolic disease pipeline.
- MRANK-119 GIP receptor-targeting preclinical drug candidate for obesity. Part of MindRank AI's wholly-owned metabolic disease pipeline.
- MRANK-808 Preclinical drug candidate with undisclosed target for obesity indication. Part of MindRank AI's wholly-owned metabolic disease pipeline.
- MRANK-101 P53-targeting preclinical drug candidate in MindRank AI's oncology pipeline. Part of the company's wholly-owned preclinical programs.
- Design as a Service (DaaS) AI-enabled drug discovery service offering to biopharma partners focusing on hard-to-drug molecular targets. Includes target identification, hit generation, lead optimization, ADMET prediction, and clinical candidate selection. MindRank has successfully delivered allosteric inhibitor PCCs with Best-in-Class potential to partner companies. Targeted at pharmaceutical R&D teams seeking AI-augmented discovery capabilities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 60% reduction in R&D costs compared to traditional drug discovery approaches
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use MindRank AI
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
MindRank AI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability9 records
Feature7 records
MindRank AI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Henlius (2696.HK)corePartnership on AI-enabled ADCs (antibody-drug conjugates) and anti-aging therapy platform with Henlius, a Shanghai-listed biopharmaceutical company. Collaboration established in 2024 for novel therapeutic development.
- BioMetascorePartnership on AI-enabled drug discovery with BioMetas. Collaboration established in 2024 to advance discovery programs using MindRank AI's proprietary platforms.
- Hisun (600267.SH)corePartnership on AI-empowered drug discovery with Hisun, a Shanghai-listed pharmaceutical company. Collaboration established in 2024 to leverage AI for novel drug development.
- Chemexpress (688131.SH)corePartnership strengthened in AI-enabled synthetic accessibility with Chemexpress. Collaboration focuses on computational chemistry and synthesis planning for drug-like compounds.
- Medicilon (688202.SH)corePartnership on AI-enabled drug discovery with Medicilon, a Shanghai-listed preclinical CRO. Collaboration initiated in October 2021 to leverage AI for accelerated compound optimization.
- Antengene (6996.HK)corePartnership on AI-enabled drug discovery with Antengene, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company listed on Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Collaboration initiated in August 2021 for discovery of novel therapeutics.
- University of CambridgeminorAcademic research partnership with University of Cambridge for collaborative research in AI-driven drug discovery and biomedical applications.
- Imperial College LondonminorAcademic research partnership with Imperial College London for collaborative research in computational biology and AI applications.
- Duke UniversityminorAcademic research partnership with Duke University for collaborative research in biomedical AI and drug discovery.
- Peking UniversityminorAcademic research partnership with Peking University for collaborative research in computational biology and AI applications.
- Zhejiang UniversityminorAcademic research partnership with Zhejiang University for collaborative research in AI-driven drug discovery.
- Westlake UniversityminorAcademic research partnership with Westlake University for collaborative research in computational biology and AI applications.
- Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityminorAcademic research partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University for collaborative research in AI-driven drug discovery.
- Tongji UniversityminorAcademic research partnership with Tongji University for collaborative research in biomedical AI.
- University of OslominorAcademic research partnership with University of Oslo for collaborative research in health technology and AI applications.
- Akershus University HospitalminorClinical research partnership with Akershus University Hospital in Norway for translational research and clinical applications.
- National Center for Aging and Health (Norway)minorResearch partnership with Norway's National Center for Aging and Health focused on AI-enabled anti-aging therapy development.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
MindRank AI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Exscientia: AI-driven precision medicine company that designed the first AI-designed molecule to enter clinical trials, with end-to-end discovery and development partnerships with major pharma. Closely comparable in DaaS and co-development model.
- Schrödinger: Public AI-driven molecular simulation and drug discovery platform serving pharma with physics-based and ML methods. Comparable platform business model and pharmaceutical customer base, with multiple co-developed clinical assets.
- Atomwise: AI-driven small molecule drug discovery company using structure-based deep learning for hit identification and lead optimization. Comparable in core technology (deep learning on molecular structures) and pharma partnership-driven model.
- XtalPi: China-based AI + robotics drug discovery company combining physics-based simulation, generative AI, and automated experimentation. Highly comparable as a China-headquartered AI drug discovery peer with global enterprise pharma partnerships.
- BenevolentAI: AI-driven drug discovery company using knowledge graphs and ML to identify novel targets and drug candidates. Comparable in use of biomedical knowledge graphs for target identification, similar in clinical-stage assets.
- Insilico Medicine: Clinical-stage AI-driven drug discovery company with end-to-end platform covering target ID, generative chemistry, and clinical development. Closest comparable in model, technology stack (deep learning for small molecules), and pipeline progression to MindRank.
- DP Technology (Hangzhou DPtech): Chinese AI-for-Science company with significant drug discovery operations including molecular generation, protein structure prediction, and partnerships with Chinese biopharma. Comparable as a China-based AI drug discovery peer.
- Recursion Pharmaceuticals: AI-driven drug discovery company combining high-throughput biology with machine learning to identify novel therapeutics. Comparable end-to-end AI platform approach and clinical-stage asset portfolio in oncology and rare disease.
Broad incumbents
- Eli Lilly: Global pharmaceutical incumbent dominating the injectable GLP-1RA obesity market with Zepbound/Mounjaro. Defines the commercial bar that MDR-001 must clear in efficacy, safety, and supply scale to compete in obesity.
- Novo Nordisk: Global pharmaceutical incumbent and originator of GLP-1RA class with Wegovy/Ozempic. Represents the entrenched competition for MDR-001 and broader obesity market dynamics MindRank is entering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MindRank AI social profiles
Digital presenceMindRank AI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MindRank AI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
MindRank AI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MindRank AI M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MindRank AI
What does MindRank AI do?
MindRank AI develops and operates a suite of proprietary AI-powered drug discovery platforms (Molecule Pro™, PharmKG™, Molecule Dance™, ProtaG™, DeepDrugDiscovery) that enable end-to-end small molecule drug design from target identification through clinical candidate nomination. The company pursues a dual model: advancing its wholly-owned drug pipeline (lead asset MDR-001 oral GLP-1RA in Phase III) and providing Design-as-a-Service AI-enabled drug discovery collaborations to global pharmaceutical partners targeting hard-to-drug molecular targets.
Is MindRank AI a public or private company?
MindRank AI is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was MindRank AI founded?
MindRank AI was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is MindRank AI based?
MindRank AI is headquartered in Shanghai, China, in the Asia region.
How does MindRank AI make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Proprietary Drug Development is the primary driver. The others are AI-Enabled Drug Discovery Services.
Who are MindRank AI's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Exscientia, Schrödinger, Atomwise, XtalPi, BenevolentAI, Insilico Medicine, DP Technology (Hangzhou DPtech) and Recursion Pharmaceuticals. Broad incumbents are Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.
Does MindRank AI have an API?
No public API is recorded for MindRank AI.
What industry is MindRank AI in?
MindRank AI's product category is AI Drug Discovery Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAJAO, AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization, with a secondary code of HLAIALAA, Drug Discovery (Target ID/Validation & Hit Discovery). Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8731.