Written by Rishika Saddam and Mrinalika Roy
BENGALURU, May 22 (Reuters) – Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk aims to use AI to cut the time it takes to bring new drugs to market by up to two-thirds as it aims to regain momentum in the fast-growing obesity drug market, an executive said.
“Historically, it might have taken a year and a half to go from ‘last patient, last visit’ to first application. What we can do now with AI is shave months off that time,” John Dover, managing director of global business services, said at the Reuters Summit on Friday.
Danish pharmaceutical companies are implementing AI in key parts of their launch processes, including the creation of regulatory documents, analysis of safety data, and support for commercial analysis of both marketed drugs and drugs in clinical trials.
The move reflects broader industry changes, with pharmaceutical companies increasingly betting on AI to accelerate research, streamline workflows and reduce costs.
Industry predictions suggest that machine learning could cut early-stage development schedules in half within the next three to five years.
Novo is aiming for further gains, and Dover said the timeline could accelerate more rapidly due to rapid advancements in AI tools, which are now widely integrated across its India operations.
India takes center stage
Novo’s Bengaluru center is playing an increasingly central role in global drug launches, with an increasing proportion of preparatory work, including the recently launched oral obesity drug in the US.
“A significant portion of the work for any market (launch) will be done in the heartland of India. A drug that doesn’t have the thumbprint of Bangalore probably won’t be launched anywhere in the world,” Dover said.
Activities ranging from clinical data analysis and regulatory filings to commercial planning are increasingly being carried out outside India.
Dover expects the company to be “conservative” in hiring amid the broader restructuring, despite its expanding scope.
He expects Novo’s global business services division to end the year with about 4,000 employees. In a previous interview, he said he expected the division to employ 5,000 people by 2025.
Dover acknowledged that the goal is “too ambitious” even looking to 2027, adding that rather than rapidly expanding its workforce, Novo is focused on hiring the right people for the right roles as it expands its AI-driven business.
(Reporting by Rishika Saddam and Mrinalika Roy; Editing by Dhanya Scariachan and Anil D’Silva)
