Novo Nordisk partners with OpenAI to speed drug development

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.

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