By STEVEN ZECOLA
Recursion Pharmaceuticals today announced the results of one of its AI-discovered treatments. I was pleased to see the large and sustained polyp reduction attributable to your treatment for familial adenomatous polyposis. Recursions’ oral medication will be considered “promising” by the traditional scientific and regulatory community.
On the other hand, I was disappointed to see/hear no reference to the societal cost savings of this treatment and a vague reference to working with the FDA in the first half of 2026. Frankly, there seemed to be a lack of urgency.
Currently, FAP treatment is a costly, lifelong endeavor for the more than 50,000 survivors. Early detection strategies cost more than $10,000 and late detection more than $37,000. The cost of treating metastatic colorectal cancer (to which FAP predisposes) can be extremely high, up to $300,000. Overall, the cost to society of FAP easily exceeds $1 billion annually, or more than $15 billion in present value terms.
This medicine should not be subject to any additional regulatory delays. There is now enough information on efficacy and safety for Recursion to move further with broad application of this treatment, while continuing to test dosage levels and stratify the patient population. The alternative is more unnecessary costs and suffering.
Steve Zecola sold his web application and hosting business when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease twenty-three years ago. Since then, he has run a consulting practice, taught at graduate business schools, and practiced extensively.
