Novo Nordisk taps OpenAI

Novo Nordisk said Tuesday it will roll out OpenAI tools across drug research, factories and sales operations to move new medicines to patients faster. (biospace.com) The Danish drugmaker said the partnership will use OpenAI systems to analyze large datasets, spot potential drug candidates and improve work in manufacturing, supply chains, distribution and corporate operations. Novo did not disclose financial terms. (biospace.com) (bloomberg.com) Novo said pilot programs are already running in research and development, manufacturing and commercial teams, with broader deployment planned later in 2026. The company also said the arrangement includes workforce training, data-governance rules and human oversight. (pharmaceutical-technology.com) (biospace.com) Drug discovery is the process of sifting through huge volumes of biology, chemistry and trial data to find molecules worth testing, and that work can take years. Novo said OpenAI’s models will help its teams search those data faster and reduce the time between early research and patient use. (cnbc.com) (biospace.com) The push comes as Novo tries to defend its position in the obesity market built around Wegovy and Ozempic. Reuters reported Tuesday that Novo has fallen behind Eli Lilly in the weight-loss drug race, adding pressure to speed up research and execution. (wegovy.com) (money.usnews.com) Novo has been building this artificial intelligence stack for months. In June 2025, Nvidia said it was working with Novo and the Danish Centre for AI Innovation to build custom models for early research and clinical development on Denmark’s Gefion supercomputer. (investor.nvidia.com) (dcai.dk) The OpenAI deal also lands under a new chief executive. Novo’s company profile says Maziar Mike Doustdar became president and chief executive officer in August 2025 after years running major commercial units outside the United States. (novonordisk.com) Novo’s message on April 14 was that artificial intelligence will not stay inside its labs. The company said it wants the same systems helping scientists search for drugs to also support the factory floor and the teams that get treatments into the market. (biospace.com)