Novo Nordisk partners with OpenAI to accelerate drug discovery and obesity treatment development

Novo Taps OpenAI to Speed Development of New Obesity Drugs

Novo Nordisk A/S will integrate OpenAI's artificial intelligence across the company to accelerate drug development. The Danish drugmaker didn't disclose financial terms of the partnership announced Tuesday, which adds to Novo's existing AI efforts that include a research-focused dealBloomberg Terminal announced last year with Nvidia Corp. Novo is trying to get faster at everything from drug development to production planning as it fights to regain its share of the competitive market for obesity drugs. Though it was first to market with the current generation of powerful medicines, the company has lost share to US rival Eli Lilly & Co. The OpenAI deal is not "about replacing the scientist, it's about supercharging them," Novo's Chief Executive Officer Mike Doustdar said in an interview. "The same would go for many of our employees." The aim is to help Novo identify drug targets more quickly and design better clinical trials, as well as gain clear insights from the company's datasets, Doustdar said. He compared the change to the shift from using fax machines -- as workers did when he started at the company -- to using e-mail. Doustdar has reshaped Novo's workforce since he took over as CEO in August, eliminating about 9,000 jobs and pushing for what he called a performance culture of faster decision-making. Novo employees already had access to a bespoke version of OpenAI's ChatGPT but the new partnership goes beyond that, a spokesperson said. Pilot programs will begin in the drugmaker's research and development, manufacturing and commercial operations units, with full integration by the end of this year.

Wegovy-maker Novo Nordisk partners with OpenAI to speed drug development

LONDON, April 14 (Reuters) - Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab, which has fallen behind Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab in the immensely lucrative weight-loss drug market, said on Tuesday it is partnering with OpenAI to deploy artificial intelligence across its business, from drug discovery to manufacturing and commercial operations. The maker of Wegovy and Ozempic said the partnership would use OpenAI's technology to analyse complex datasets, identify promising drug candidates and improve efficiency in ⁠manufacturing, supply chains, distribution and corporate operations. Drugmakers are increasingly using AI to streamline the more tedious parts of drug development, from finding clinical trial participants and selecting sites to preparing regulatory filings, though industry executives say the technology has not yet fully delivered on the harder task of discovering major new molecules. Novo is seeking new ways to regain ground in an intensifying obesity-drug battle with Indianapolis-based Lilly, which this month won U.S. approval for its weight-loss pill Foundayo after Novo launched oral Wegovy in January. Analysts expect annual revenue from weight-loss drugs to exceed $100 billion in the next decade. Novo did not disclose financial terms of the agreement. It said pilot programmes would begin across research ⁠and development, manufacturing and commercial operations, with full integration planned by the end of 2026. Novo said OpenAI will also help train its global workforce, increasing AI literacy and boosting productivity across departments. TRAINING, NOT REPLACING "The aim here is not replacing our scientists. It's about supercharging them," CEO Mike Doustdar said in an interview. Doustdar said the partnership was not intended to ⁠cut Novo's current workforce, but to lift productivity and curb the pace of future hiring. He said AI would help employees work faster and more effectively, reducing the need to grow headcount as much as in the past. Shortly after taking over ⁠as CEO last year, Doustdar announced a restructuring that cut 9,000 jobs. "AI is reshaping industries and in life sciences, it can help people live better, longer lives," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a statement. "This collaboration ⁠with Novo Nordisk will help them accelerate scientific discovery, run smarter global operations, and redefine the future of patient care." Novo said the partnership included strict data protection, governance and human oversight, and built on its existing AI initiatives with other technology partners and research organisations. Reporting by Maggie Fick Editing by Bill Berkrot Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Artificial Intelligence * Health * Employee Health Maggie Fick Thomson Reuters Maggie is a Britain-based reporter covering the European pharmaceuticals industry with a global perspective. In 2023, Maggie's coverage of Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk and its race to increase production of its new weight-loss drug helped the Health & Pharma team win a Reuters Journalists of the Year award in the Beat Coverage of the Year category. Since November 2023, she has also been participating in Reuters coverage related to the Israel-Hamas war. Previously based in Nairobi and Cairo for Reuters and in Lagos for the Financial Times, Maggie got her start in journalism in 2010 as a freelancer for The Associated Press in South Sudan.

Novo Nordisk partners with OpenAI as AI drug discovery hopes mount

People walk past a sign for Novo Nordisk's annual general meeting at the entrance to the venue in Copenhagen, Denmark, March 26, 2026. Novo Nordisk is partnering with OpenAI to "bring new and better treatment options to patients faster," the Danish drugmaker said Tuesday. The partnership will enable Novo to better use AI to analyze complex datasets, identify promising new drugs, and reduce the time it takes for a medicine to move from the research stage to patient use, the company said in a statement. "There are millions of people living with obesity and diabetes who need treatment options, and we know there are therapies still waiting to be discovered that could change their lives," said Novo CEO Mike Doustdar. "Integrating AI in our everyday work gives us the ability to analyse datasets at a scale that was previously impossible, identify patterns we could not see, and test hypotheses faster than ever." "AI is reshaping industries and in life sciences, it can help people live better, longer lives," said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Novo Nordisk partners with OpenAI to speed drug discovery

Novo Nordisk announced a strategic partnership with OpenAI on Tuesday to apply artificial intelligence across its business, from drug discovery to manufacturing and commercial operations. According to Novo Nordisk, the arrangement is designed to harness OpenAI's tools for making sense of large, intricate datasets, spotting viable drug candidates earlier in the process, and shortening the path from laboratory research to medicines that reach patients. The rollout will start with pilots in R&D, manufacturing, and commercial operations before a company-wide integration is completed by late 2026. "There are millions of people living with obesity and diabetes who need treatment options, and we know there are therapies still waiting to be discovered that could change their lives," Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar said in a statement. "Integrating AI in our everyday work gives us the ability to analyse datasets at a scale that was previously impossible, identify patterns we could not see, and test hypotheses faster than ever." OpenAI will also help train Novo Nordisk's global workforce to improve AI literacy and productivity. The company said the deal is structured with strict data protection, governance, and human oversight to ensure ethical and compliant use. In an interview with Reuters, Doustdar said the goal is not to shrink the existing headcount, but rather to make employees more productive while moderating how quickly the company needs to add new staff in the future. "The aim here is not replacing our scientists. It's about supercharging them," he said. Novo Nordisk did not disclose financial terms. Novo Nordisk stock rose 2.8% after the opening bell, according to CNBC. Tuesday's announcement extends a broader AI push already underway at Novo Nordisk that includes, according to CNBC, a previously announced deal with Nvidia $NVDA giving the company access to the Gefion sovereign AI supercomputer for drug discovery work. Novo Nordisk employees already had access to a custom version of OpenAI's ChatGPT before the new agreement, a company spokesperson told Bloomberg. The partnership comes as Novo Nordisk works to regain ground in the obesity drug market against U.S. rival Eli Lilly $LLY. Oral Wegovy became available in January, and Eli Lilly secured U.S. regulatory clearance for its competing weight-loss tablet, Foundayo, earlier this month, Reuters reported. Big Pharma has poured billions into AI drug discovery in recent years, though the industry has yet to see a market-ready drug developed entirely through AI. Tasks such as recruiting patients for trials, choosing trial locations, and assembling regulatory submissions have proven to be the areas where AI delivers the most immediate value, executives in the industry say, while the harder challenge of generating genuinely new molecular discoveries remains largely unmet. Precedence Research estimates the global drug industry's investment in AI will reach $2.51 billion in 2026. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has separately invested more than $100 million of his own money in AI-based drug startups. "AI is reshaping industries and in life sciences, it can help people live better, longer lives," Altman said in a statement about the Novo Nordisk deal.

Novo Nordisk joins forces with OpenAI to fast-track drug research

Danish pharma company Novo Nordisk has announced a partnership with OpenAI to apply artificial intelligence across its drug development process. Novo Nordisk's partnership with OpenAI will "help the company bring new and better treatment options to patients faster," the Danish pharmaceutical company announced on Tuesday. The collaboration will allow Novo Nordisk to apply advanced AI to analyse complex datasets, identify potential drugs, and cut the time between research and patient access. "This partnership is one important step in positioning Novo Nordisk to lead in the next era of healthcare. There are millions of people living with obesity and diabetes who need treatment options, and we know there are therapies still waiting to be discovered that could change their lives," said Mike Doustdar, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk, in a press release announcing the collaboration. The Danish company's flagship products target chronic diseases and it is best known for its diabetes and weight-loss treatments, including Ozempic and Wegovy. "Integrating AI in our everyday work gives us the ability to analyse datasets at a scale that was previously impossible, identify patterns we could not see, and test hypotheses faster than ever," Doustdar added. "This means discovering new therapies and bringing them to market faster than ever before." The partnership will also apply OpenAI's capabilities to improve efficiency in manufacturing, supply chain and distribution, as well as corporate operations. The pilot programmes will launch across research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and commercial operations, aiming for full integration by the end of the year. "AI is reshaping industries and in life sciences, it can help people live better, longer lives," said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. "This collaboration with Novo Nordisk will help them accelerate scientific discovery, run smarter global operations, and redefine the future of patient care," he added. In 2024, the Novo Nordisk Foundation partnered with Nvidia and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) to establish the Danish Centre for AI Innovation, which operates Gefion - Denmark's first AI-ready supercomputer. The initiative aimed to accelerate research and innovation in multiple fields, including healthcare and life sciences. Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly investing in AI for drug discovery and development. Eli Lilly, in the race with Novo Nordisk to lead the weight-loss drug market, announced a partnership with Insilico Medicine in March 2026 to develop and commercialise medicines discovered using artificial intelligence. Under the agreement, worth up to $2.75 billion (€2.39bn), the American company will receive an exclusive worldwide licence for the development, manufacturing and commercialisation of novel oral therapeutics in preclinical development for certain indications, the companies said.

OpenAI partners with Novo Nordisk to accelerate drug discovery and delivery - SiliconANGLE

OpenAI partners with Novo Nordisk to accelerate drug discovery and delivery Artificial intelligence powerhouse OpenAI Group PBC is lending its expertise to Novo Nordisk A/S in a new partnership announced today that aims to accelerate research in the pharmaceutical industry. The sweeping collaboration will see OpenAI's intelligent agents embedded across the drug maker's workflows in order to enhance everything from lab-based drug discovery to the complexities of commercial distribution. Under the partnership, Novo Nordisk will gain access to OpenAI's most advanced frontier models. Its goal is to empower its workforce to work smarter and faster by using AI to crunch through massive datasets that bog down human researchers for weeks, and automate other laborious tasks across its business. Novo Nordisk said the collaboration will help it overcome one of the most pressing challenges facing the life sciences industry: the sheer volume of biological data it has to deal with. The drug company specializes in creating medicines for chronic illnesses such as obesity and diabetes, but the difficulty of identifying the most promising molecules for more effective treatments is a multiyear process that costs billions of dollars. By using AI to speed up the process of finding hidden patterns within genomic, biological and clinical trial datasets, the company hopes to shorten these development cycles dramatically. The idea is to use AI to simulate experiments that would normally have to be performed in labs, so it can predict the efficacy of drugs before a physical sample is even created. Novo Nordisk President and Chief Executive Mike Doustdar said millions of people globally living with chronic illnesses are waiting for new therapies to be discovered that can change their lives. "Integrating AI in our everyday work gives us the ability to analyze datasets at a scale that was previously impossible," he said. "We can identify patterns we could not see and test hypotheses faster than ever. This means discovering new therapies and bringing them to market faster than ever before." The companies stressed that this is more than just a software deal. OpenAI will work directly with Novo Nordisk's employees to teach them how to make the most out of its AI technologies. The goal is to enhance their level of "AI literacy" so that every department can build and use custom tools. Besides using AI to analyze datasets to try and identify the most promising drug candidates, Novo Nordisk will also apply the technology to its manufacturing, supply chain and distribution operations to try to speed up the time it takes to get its medicines into the hands of patients. To ensure that AI-based decisions remain ethical and accurate, the two companies said they will create a strict data governance framework that includes human oversight. The partnership will kick off with a series of pilot programs across Novo Nordisk's research, development and manufacturing operations. If successful, these projects will pave the way for OpenAI's models to be integrated with its entire global operations by the end of the year. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the goal is to help people live better and longer lives. "This collaboration with Novo Nordisk will help them to accelerate scientific discovery, run smarter global operations and redefine the future of patient care," he said.

Novo Nordisk Expands AI Push With ChatGPT Parent OpenAI - Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO)

AI To Accelerate Drug Discovery The collaboration will leverage advanced AI tools to analyze complex datasets, identify promising drug candidates, and streamline the transition from early-stage research to clinical application. The initiative is designed to reduce development timelines, a critical factor in improving patient access to new therapies. The partnership includes built-in safeguards such as strict data protection protocols, governance frameworks, and human oversight to ensure ethical and compliant deployment of AI technologies. "AI is reshaping industries and in life sciences...This collaboration with Novo Nordisk will help them accelerate scientific discovery, run smarter global operations, and redefine the future of patient care," said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. Expanding AI Across Operations Beyond research, the companies plan to apply AI capabilities across manufacturing, supply chain management, distribution, and corporate functions. These efforts are expected to improve operational efficiency and optimize decision-making across the organization. Pilot programs will roll out across research and development, manufacturing, and commercial operations, with broader integration targeted by the end of 2026. Workforce Upskilling And AI Literacy As part of the agreement, OpenAI will support Novo Nordisk in enhancing AI literacy among its global workforce. The initiative aims to equip employees with the skills needed to effectively use AI tools, ensuring the company can fully capitalize on the technology. Building On Existing AI Investments The move builds on Novo Nordisk's ongoing investments in artificial intelligence, including collaborations with technology partners and research organizations. The company has been steadily developing capabilities to strengthen its position in data-driven healthcare innovation. NVO Stock Price Activity: Novo Nordisk shares were up 2.91% at $39.08 during premarket trading on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data. Image via Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

Novo Nordisk Teams With OpenAI to Speed Drug Development

Novo Nordisk said on Tuesday it will partner with OpenAI to use artificial intelligence across drug discovery, manufacturing, and commercial operations. The Wegovy and Ozempic maker will start pilot programs across research, development, and business units. It plans full integration by the end of 2026. The move comes as Novo tries to regain ground on Eli Lilly in the fast-growing weight-loss drug market. OpenAI's technology to analyse complex datasets and identify promising drug candidates. At the same time, the company expects the tools to improve manufacturing efficiency. The plan also covers supply chains, distribution, and broader corporate operations. In turn, Novo is tying AI to both scientific work and day-to-day execution across the business. Across the , drugmakers already use AI to handle slower parts of development. Those tasks include finding clinical trial participants, choosing study sites, and preparing regulatory filings. Even so, executives still say the technology has not yet solved the harder challenge of discovering major new molecules. That gap keeps expectations high, but it also keeps pressure on results. Against that backdrop, Novo is looking for ways to move faster in obesity treatment. Lilly won this month for its weight-loss pill Foundayo. That approval came after Novo launched oral Wegovy in January. Can a wider AI push help Novo narrow the gap in one of pharma's fiercest races?

Wegovy Maker Novo Nordisk Strikes Deal With OpenAI to Speed Up Drug Discovery -- Update

Novo Nordisk said it would work with ChatGPT maker OpenAI on how to leverage artificial intelligence to discover new drugs, the latest AI partnership in the medical field as healthcare companies seek to harness the technology to get ahead of the competition. The Danish drugmaker said it would integrate OpenAI's models across its operations to help its workforce analyze complex datasets and reduce the time it takes to move from research to delivering treatments to patients. The group said the partnership would boost efficiency across manufacturing, distribution, the supply chain and corporate, with pilot programs initially launching in research and development, manufacturing and commercial operations ahead of a full AI integration by the end of the year. Drugmakers are turning to AI companies and their increasingly powerful models to improve operations and cut repetitive tasks for employees, giving them more time to focus on R&D in a bet that advancements in the technology will help them identify promising new drugs and treatments. "Integrating AI in our everyday work gives us the ability to analyze datasets at a scale that was previously impossible, identify patterns we could not see, and test hypotheses faster than ever," Novo Nordisk Chief Executive Mike Doustdar said. "This means discovering new therapies and bringing them to market faster than ever before." Novo Nordisk is the latest high-profile company in the pharmaceutical industry to partner with the ChatGPT maker. Moderna has joined forces with OpenAI to deploy ChatGPT Enterprise across various business functions and advance its work on mRNA medicine. Meanwhile, Sanofi and Formation Bio are partnering with OpenAI to accelerate drug development and bring new medicines to patients. Novo Nordisk said its partnership with OpenAI--which has been structured with tight data protection, governance and human oversight rules to ensure ethical use of AI--came on top of work it is already doing with other tech companies. Last year, it joined forces with Nvidia to accelerate drug discovery with AI. "There are millions of people living with obesity and diabetes who need treatment options, and we know there are therapies still waiting to be discovered that could change their lives," Doustdar said. News Corp, owner of Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal, has a content-licensing partnership with OpenAI. Write to Dominic Chopping at [email protected] and Mauro Orru at [email protected]

Wegovy-maker Novo Nordisk partners with OpenAI to speed drug development

LONDON, April 14 (Reuters) - Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, which has fallen behind Eli Lilly in the immensely lucrative weight-loss drug market, said on Tuesday it is partnering with OpenAI to deploy artificial intelligence across its business, from drug discovery to manufacturing and commercial operations. The maker of Wegovy and Ozempic said the partnership would use OpenAI's technology to analyse complex datasets, identify promising drug candidates and improve efficiency in manufacturing, supply chains, distribution and corporate operations. Drugmakers are increasingly using AI https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/drugmakers-turn-ai-speed-trials-regulatory-submissions-2026-01-26/ to streamline the more tedious parts of drug development, from finding clinical trial participants and selecting sites to preparing regulatory filings, though industry executives say the technology has not yet fully delivered on the harder task of discovering major new molecules. Novo is seeking new ways https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/novo-nordisk-appoints-mars-ceo-board-observer-2026-03-26/ to regain ground in an intensifying obesity-drug battle https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pills-tiktok-weight-loss-apps-consumer-driven-future-glp-1s-2025-12-29/ with Indianapolis-based Lilly, which this month won U.S. approval https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/lillys-weight-loss-pill-wins-us-approval-2026-04-01/ for its weight-loss pill Foundayo after Novo launched https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/novo-nordisk-sell-wegovy-pill-us-self-pay-patients-starting-149-per-month-2026-01-05/ oral Wegovy in January. Analysts expect annual revenue from weight-loss drugs to exceed $100 billion in the next decade. Novo did not disclose financial terms of the agreement. It said pilot programmes would begin across research and development, manufacturing and commercial operations, with full integration planned by the end of 2026. Novo said OpenAI will also help train its global workforce, increasing AI literacy and boosting productivity across departments. TRAINING, NOT REPLACING "The aim here is not replacing our scientists. It's about supercharging them," CEO Mike Doustdar said in an interview. Doustdar said the partnership was not intended to cut Novo's current workforce, but to lift productivity and curb the pace of future hiring. He said AI would help employees work faster and more effectively, reducing the need to grow headcount as much as in the past. Shortly after taking over as CEO last year, Doustdar announced a restructuring https://www.reuters.com/business/novo-nordisk-slashes-9000-jobs-slim-down-fierce-weight-loss-drug-battle-2025-09-10/ that cut 9,000 jobs. "AI is reshaping industries and in life sciences, it can help people live better, longer lives," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a statement. "This collaboration with Novo Nordisk will help them accelerate scientific discovery, run smarter global operations, and redefine the future of patient care." Novo said the partnership included strict data protection, governance and human oversight, and built on its existing AI initiatives with other technology partners and research organisations. (Reporting by Maggie FickEditing by Bill Berkrot)