Novo Nordisk Expands Indian Operations, Partners with AI Startups to Enhance Drug Development

Novo Nordisk Partnering 10 Indian AI Startups To Streamline Ops

India is currently home to over 100 GenAI startups that raised over $600 Mn in funding between 2019 and H1 2024 Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk, which has grabbed global headlines for its weight loss drug Wegovy, has struck partnerships with 10 Indian artificial intelligence (AI) startups to streamline its operations. The company's managing director (MD) for global business services John Dawber told Reuters that it is leveraging tools built by homegrown AI startups for tasks such as summarising documents, extracting insights and checking for editing errors. Dawber added that "some of these AI tools" are being used across Novo Nordisk's global operations. However, the report didn't mention the names of AI startups. He said that Novo's medical writers are using AI to reduce the time needed for quality checks on regulatory documents. "It goes from 40 hours per document to about 40 minutes per document," he added. The drug maker is also open to partnering with more such AI startups in the country. As per the report, Dawber expects the company's Bengaluru centre to emerge as "an almost perfect mirror image" of Novo's headquarters in Denmark in three years with respect to "handling data central to research and development". It is pertinent to note that the centre manages data collected on the safety and efficacy of the company's drugs, which includes information related to clinical trials and reports of potential side effects. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk plans to double down on the number of "global process leaders" based out of India over the next three to four years and increase its headcount in the country by 16% to 5,000 next year. With the Indian AI ecosystem making rapid strides and attracting the interest of investors, partnerships like Novo Nordisk's are expected to make way for more such collaborations with global players.

Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk bets big on talent, AI partnerships in India

BENGALURU: Novo Nordisk, whose global profile has risen along with demand for its Wegovy weight-loss drug, is bolstering operations in the world's most populous nation by beefing up senior leadership in India and partnering with local AI start-ups, a top executive told Reuters. The moves are part of an expansion of the Danish drugmaker's operations in Bengaluru, which launched 17 years ago. The centre helps manage massive amounts of data collected on the safety and efficacy of its medicines, including information from clinical trials and reports of potential side effects. The company, which has become among the world's most valuable due to soaring demand for Wegovy and related diabetes drug Ozempic, will double the number of global process leaders based in India over the next three to four years, and boost its overall headcount by 16% to 5,000 next year, John Dawber, Novo's managing director for global business services, said. Novo also has partnerships with 10 start-ups in India to use artificial intelligence for a host of tasks including summarizing documents, extracting insights and checking for editing errors, Dawber said, adding that some of these AI tools are being used across its global operations. The company's medical writers are using AI to reduce the time needed for quality checks on documents, some intended for submission to drug regulators in various required formats in countries ranging from the U.S. to Japan. "It goes from 40 hours per document to about 40 minutes per document," Dawber said in an interview in Bengaluru. Dawber said he expects the India centre to emerge as "an almost perfect mirror image" of the company's Bagsvaerd, Denmark headquarters in three years in terms of handling data central to research and development. "It's still and always will be a shared activity. But certainly, the pendulum is swinging towards more responsibility for the today and the future products here in Bengaluru," he said. Novo is not the only major pharmaceutical company betting big on India. Earlier this year, French drugmaker Sanofi revealed plans to invest $437 million in its India centre. Bristol Myers Squibb confirmed it expected its Hyderabad, India facility to become its largest unit outside the U.S. by 2025 as it looks to enhance drug development through the use of AI and digital technologies. Half of Novo's global safety assessment work, which tracks reports of drug side effects and shares them with health regulators across the globe, is handled by its India operation. Dawber's team in India also contributes to producing safety update reports, brochure updates through the drug development process, risk management plans and other publications. Novo did not comment on the amount it has invested in expanding the India centre or its AI partnerships, but confirmed it was open to collaborating with more such startups in India. Wegovy and rival drugs from Eli Lilly sold under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound belong to a class of therapies known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that help control blood sugar and slow digestion, making people feel full longer. Novo and Lilly have plans to launch their drugs in India as they compete for a global weight-loss market some analysts have said could reach $150 billion in the next decade.

Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk bets big on talent, AI partnerships in India

BENGALURU, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab, whose global profile has risen along with demand for its Wegovy weight-loss drug, is bolstering operations in the world's most populous nation by beefing up senior leadership in India and partnering with local AI start-ups, a top executive told Reuters. The moves are part of an expansion of the Danish drugmaker's operations in Bengaluru, which launched 17 years ago. The centre helps manage massive amounts of data collected on the safety and efficacy of its medicines, including information from clinical trials and reports of potential side effects. Advertisement · Scroll to continue The company, which has become among the world's most valuable due to soaring demand for Wegovy and related diabetes drug Ozempic, will double the number of global process leaders based in India over the next three to four years, and boost its overall headcount by 16% to 5,000 next year, John Dawber, Novo's managing director for global business services, said. Novo also has partnerships with 10 start-ups in India to use artificial intelligence for a host of tasks including summarizing documents, extracting insights and checking for editing errors, Dawber said, adding that some of these AI tools are being used across its global operations. Advertisement · Scroll to continue The company's medical writers are using AI to reduce the time needed for quality checks on documents, some intended for submission to drug regulators in various required formats in countries ranging from the U.S. to Japan. "It goes from 40 hours per document to about 40 minutes per document," Dawber said in an interview in Bengaluru. Dawber said he expects the India centre to emerge as "an almost perfect mirror image" of the company's Bagsvaerd, Denmark headquarters in three years in terms of handling data central to research and development. "It's still and always will be a shared activity. But certainly, the pendulum is swinging towards more responsibility for the today and the future products here in Bengaluru," he said. BETTING ON INDIA Novo is not the only major pharmaceutical company betting big on India. Earlier this year, French drugmaker Sanofi (SASY.PA), opens new tab revealed plans to invest $437 million in its India centre. Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY.N), opens new tab confirmed it expected its Hyderabad, India facility to become its largest unit outside the U.S. by 2025 as it looks to enhance drug development through the use of AI and digital technologies. Half of Novo's global safety assessment work, which tracks reports of drug side effects and shares them with health regulators across the globe, is handled by its India operation. Dawber's team in India also contributes to producing safety update reports, brochure updates through the drug development process, risk management plans and other publications. Novo did not comment on the amount it has invested in expanding the India centre or its AI partnerships, but confirmed it was open to collaborating with more such startups in India. Wegovy and rival drugs from Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab sold under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound belong to a class of therapies known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that help control blood sugar and slow digestion, making people feel full longer. Novo and Lilly have plans to launch their drugs in India as they compete for a global weight-loss market some analysts have said could reach $150 billion in the next decade. Reporting by Rishika Sadam and Haripriya Suresh; Editing by Dhanya Skariachan and Bill Berkrot Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Haripriya Suresh Thomson Reuters Haripriya reports on India's $254-billion Indian information technology (IT) industry, the country's burgeoning GCCs, as well as new-age startups. With seven years of experience, she has previously reported on politics, civic issues, crime, and breaking news in south India, and tracked the country's gig economy. She has a degree in Media Studies with a specialisation in journalism from the Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication.