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.
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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.
