In the world of tech, product launches are usually accompanied by discussions about cutting-edge algorithms, sleek interfaces, and revolutionary breakthroughs. But for me, the story of DeepPumas and AskPumas is not just about the technology—it’s about the people. It’s about how a global team, spread across 18 countries, came together to build something extraordinary.

Today, as we unveil these two groundbreaking products, I want to share the story behind them—the story of the brilliant minds, the passion, and the relentless determination that made it all happen. More than the code, more than the models, it’s the people behind DeepPumas and AskPumas who truly matter. This is their story.

The Birth of DeepPumas: A Conversation That Sparked a Revolution

The journey of DeepPumas started back in 2018, not in a fancy conference room or at a keynote session, but in a simple office hallway. Chris Rackauckas and I were deep in conversation, bouncing around ideas about how we could combine Nonlinear Mixed-Effects (NLME) modeling with machine learning to facilitate model discovery. At the time, Scientific Machine Learning (SciML was still a relatively new concept, but we saw its potential. We believed it could transform the way drugs were developed, tested, and brought to market.

That conversation was the seed, and from that seed grew what is now known as DeepPumas. But ideas alone aren’t enough to build a product, especially one as ambitious as this. It took the hard work, vision, and persistence of an incredible team of people who believed in that idea and were willing to pour their hearts into making it a reality.

The People Behind the Innovation: Meet the DeepPumas Team

From the very beginning, Niklas Korsbo was steering the initial design of DeepPumas with countless hours of iterative work. Niklas was the person who translated the grand vision into a tangible product, overseeing the initial stages of development with unmatched dedication. He was meticulous, always pushing for improvements, and never settling for anything less than excellence. His leadership in those early days laid the foundation upon which DeepPumas would grow.

As the product started to take shape, Chris Elrod and Mohamed Tarek joined the team, taking the technical reins and pushing the boundaries of what was possible. Chris and Mohamed were instrumental in advancing the technical development of DeepPumas, turning it from a promising concept into a powerful, AI-driven NLME solution. Their expertise and relentless pursuit of innovation have been key to bringing DeepPumas to life.

And the team didn’t stop there. Today, DeepPumas is the result of a collective effort by many brilliant minds. Julius Martensen, Andreu Vaal, Lorenzo Contento, and Patrick Mogensen have all played pivotal roles in getting the product ready for launch. Their contributions have been invaluable, each of them bringing their unique skills and perspectives to the project. Together, they’ve built something that has the potential to revolutionize how we approach drug development.

But what makes this even more special is that this work wasn’t done in a single office or over late-night coffee sessions. It was done across borders, time zones, and continents—while raising our families, staying cocooned at home during COVID, and discovering the joys (or frustrations) of homeschooling and sourdough baking. Our team is spread out over 18 countries, working virtually, collaborating through screens and chats. And yet, despite the physical distance and the occasional Wi-Fi dropout, the sense of camaraderie and shared purpose has been palpable. Over the last five years, some of us had kids who are now as old as DeepPumas, some of us moved to new countries, and some of us even found surprising new passions—turns out, coding and making the perfect cappuccino, or brewing your own beer aren’t so different after all! This is the magic of DeepPumas—a truly global effort where AI meets biosimulation, designed to unlock the future of drug development.

DeepPumas’ Unsung Heroes

Behind every major product launch are countless hours of hard work, and often, much of that work comes from enthusiastic interns who bring fresh ideas and boundless energy to the team. DeepPumas has been no different. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had an amazing group of interns who played critical roles in getting the product to where it is today. They came in with curiosity, drive, and a willingness to learn—and they left their mark.

We’re incredibly grateful for their contributions, and we want to take this moment to recognize them. A big thank you to Steven Shao-Ting Chiu, Raj Abhijit Dandekar, Domas Linkevicius, Christos Kaikousidis, Caleb Thomas and Simon Deltadahl.

Our DeepPumas workshops at conferences like PAGE and ACoP have always been a huge hit, sparking fascination not only in the participants but in us instructors as well. It’s been incredible to see how empowering and engaging this product can be. As more enthusiastic participants came onboard, the excitement grew, and our industry collaborators pushed us to innovate even faster. We owe a huge thank you to all the participants and collaborators who believed in us and helped drive DeepPumas forward.

AskPumas: Innovation Driven by Necessity

The story of AskPumas is a bit different, but no less personal. AskPumas was born out of necessity. As PumasAI grew and more scientists began using our tools, we realized that, despite the power of the software, many users—particularly those new to the field—were finding it challenging to get up to speed. The ecosystem we built is incredibly robust, offering a wealth of capabilities and depth. While mastering its full potential requires dedicated time, this investment ensures users can unlock the system’s full power and achieve truly transformative results. We needed a way to make things easier, to help users navigate the complexities of pharmacometrics without feeling overwhelmed.

That’s when the idea for AskPumas came to life. Around the same time that OpenAI’s ChatGPT launched, we saw an opportunity to integrate Large Language Models (LLMs) into our ecosystem to create an AI assistant that could help users—whether they were beginners or experts—work more efficiently. What started as a six-month experiment quickly turned into a major success. In just under three weeks, we had a working prototype that exceeded all our expectations.

The People Behind AskPumas

At the heart of AskPumas’ development was Juan Oneto, the youngest member at PumasAI, whose vision and hard work laid the groundwork for what the product has become today. Alongside him, Cristian Embleton, Ragav Rajan, Agastya Vinchhi, Paul Kayongo, and Michael Hatherly worked tirelessly to bring the product to life. They saw the potential of AskPumas to become more than just a tool—it became a trusted assistant, one that could help users tackle everything from simple tasks to complex simulations.

Today, AskPumas is transforming the way PumasAI scientists and researchers approach their work. It’s not just a product—it’s a friend, a companion that helps users navigate their workflows with ease and confidence. Like DeepPumas, it’s where AI meets biosimulation, and it’s poised to make a significant impact on drug development.

Join Us at ACoP 2024

As we launch DeepPumas and AskPumas, we invite you to join us at ACoP 2024, where we’ll be showcasing both products in a series of posters, presentations, and symposiums. You’ll get the chance to see firsthand how these products are transforming drug development and meet the people behind them. We’ll be sharing our research, insights, and vision for the future—and we’d love for you to be a part of it.

If you’re interested in AI-driven insights, predictive analytics for health outcomes, precision PK/PD modeling, or simply want to see how AskPumas can streamline your workflow, we encourage you to attend. We’re excited to share the next generation of biosimulation with you, where AI meets biosimulation and the future of drug development is being shaped.

More Than Just Technology

In the end, DeepPumas and AskPumas are about more than just technology—they’re about people. Under the able leadership of Andreas Noack, these brilliant minds came together, across time zones and borders, to build something truly extraordinary. They’re about the passion and dedication of a global team who believed in the vision and worked tirelessly to make it a reality.

To the teams behind DeepPumas and AskPumas—thank you. Thank you for your hard work, your creativity, and your commitment. This is your achievement, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished together.

And to everyone reading this, we’re just getting started. The future of drug development and AI in biosimulation is bright and in the right hands. We’re excited to be on this journey with you.

Vijay Ivaturi

CEO, PumasAI