For Lai Tsai-ta, an entrepreneur from Taiwan, artificial intelligence transcends its definition as a mere collection of algorithms; it serves as a beacon of hope and healing for millions of patients. By spearheading AI-driven drug discovery, Lai and his company aim to make life-saving treatments more accessible.

Lai is the co-founder and CEO of Metis TechBio Co Ltd, a Beijing-based biotechnology firm specializing in AI-driven nanomaterial innovation. The company was listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

Metis TechBio focuses on developing intelligent nanomaterials that can autonomously navigate to diseased areas within the human body by interpreting protein and chemical signals. Lai compares traditional drug development to an experienced chess player relying on established rules and repeated trial and error, a process that is both time-consuming and costly.

Inspired by AlphaGo, the AI system that defeated top Go players, Lai realized AI could revolutionize pharmaceutical research. "If AI can break through the near-infinite complexity of the game of Go, it can also transform drug discovery," he said.

He likened Metis to SpaceX in the pharmaceutical sector, describing its nanomaterials as tiny spacecraft capable of carrying various drugs and therapeutic payloads through the human body. "The human body is like a galaxy in scale and complexity," Lai said. "Achieving pinpoint accuracy on a microscopic lesion within such a vast environment is far more difficult than most people can imagine."

Founded in 2020, Metis TechBio employs massive volumes of experiments and AI-based quantitative computing to decode what Lai calls the "black box" of drug development. AI-powered research has evolved from small-molecule drug design to advanced work involving large molecules, proteins, and even cellular engineering.

According to Lai, breakthroughs that once took 10 to 15 years can now be achieved much faster with AI, significantly shortening the research and development cycle. "We have established an end-to-end AI-driven drug discovery process, covering everything from AI-powered protein design to the development of AI-enabled delivery materials," he said. Metis collaborates with pharmaceutical companies and research institutions worldwide to provide targeted drug delivery solutions.

The company has expanded rapidly, transitioning from startup to public listing in just six years. Lai attributes this growth to the synergy of AI technology and the robust industrial ecosystem in mainland China. Now operating in both Beijing and Hangzhou, Metis benefits from the talent and technological innovation emerging from two of China's leading AI hubs.

In its initial public offering on Wednesday, Metis offered 201 million H shares, raising more than HK$2.1 billion and marking the largest healthcare listing in Hong Kong so far this year. The shares were priced at HK$10.50 each. On their trading debut, the stock surged as much as 185.52 percent before closing 126.67 percent higher at HK$23.8.