Machine learning (ML) is changing the way researchers identify potential drug candidates, predict molecular interactions, and optimize clinical trials. ML models are accelerating discovery timelines and increasing success rates in drug discovery. However, the success of these models relies on their design and how good they are at predicting potential drugs and their targets.
To judge the reliability of an ML model, the right evaluation metrics are essential. In drug discovery, where small decisions can alter workflow trajectories, selecting the right metrics is critical. Standard metrics like accuracy or mean squared error (MSE), though useful in generic ML tasks, often fall short when it comes to biopharma.
Biopharma deals with imbalanced datasets with far more inactive compounds than active ones. This imbalance can render traditional metrics misleading. For example, a model might achieve high accuracy by predicting the majority class (inactive compounds) while failing to identify active ones, which are the primary targets in drug discovery.
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