Novo Nordisk recently partnered with 10 Indian artificial intelligence (AI) startups, marking an important moment for the Indian AI ecosystem. The Danish company, best known for its weight loss drug Wegovy, is leveraging AI innovations to streamline operations and improve efficiency. The moves are part of the Danish drugmaker’s expansion plans for operations in Bangalore, which it opened 17 years ago. The center helps manage the vast amounts of data collected about the safety and effectiveness of its drugs, including clinical trial information and reports of potential side effects. One of the factors driving the move is that demand for obesity and diabetes-related drugs is expected to grow, especially as global attention to these health issues grows.

By strategically positioning itself in India, one of the world’s largest markets for diabetes drugs, Novo Nordisk expects to meet the growing demand by increasing its production capacity. The partnership also has a wider impact on Novo Nordisk’s operations. It is expected that Novo Nordisk’s Bangalore center will become a near mirror image of its Danish headquarters within three years. The company plans to increase its headcount in Bangalore by 16% to 5,000 people; and increase the number of global process leaders. It is clear that Novo Nordisk sees India as a partner and an important part of its future strategy.

John Dawber, General Manager, Global Business Services, Novo Nordisk, highlighted the revolutionary processes developed by the AI tools developed by these 10 startups. These processes include document summarization, insight extraction and error detection. The results are impressive, with AI-driven quality checks saving time in regulatory document review from 40 hours to just 40 minutes. This is just the beginning, and Novo Nordisk’s willingness to work with more AI startups in India highlights the talent and innovation that India has to offer.

India’s AI ecosystem is maturing rapidly, fueled by investment and creativity. More than 100 AI startups have raised more than $600 million in funding from 2019 to 2024 (to date). The industry is set to see even greater breakthroughs. Startups such as Krutrim and SarvamAI are examples of Indian tech companies in the field of AI. This move is not only good for Novo Nordisk, but also in line with broader trends in the pharmaceutical industry. Competitors are starting to take notice of India’s role as an emerging hub for drug development and manufacturing. Other global pharmaceutical companies are also increasing their presence and investments, a sign that India is becoming an integral part of the global medical supply chain.

What sets Novo Nordisk apart is its dual-focus strategy: investing in human capital while making technological advances. They believe this balanced approach will not only speed up the drug development process but also help them stay competitive as global pharmaceutical companies are also increasing their presence in India to tap its massive market. Nord Nordisk Wegovy belongs to the same class of drugs as rival Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound, GLP-1 receptor agonists, which help control blood sugar and slow digestion, thereby prolonging satiety. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly plan to launch these drugs in India, where analysts predict the global market for weight loss drugs could reach $150 billion in the next decade.

On October 2, the FDA said the shortage of Eli Lilly’s Zepbound had been resolved after nearly two years. The move means compounding pharmacies must stop making generic versions of these drugs, a practice that is only allowed in cases of official shortages. However, the FDA's decision sparked dissatisfaction with the Outsourcing Facilities Association, a trade group representing the interests of large pharmacies. The association filed a lawsuit against the FDA in federal court on October 7, claiming that its "reckless and arbitrary" decision to remove telport from the official shortage list ignored evidence that the drug was still in short supply, deprived patients of treatment opportunities, and increased drug prices.

More and more companies are using AI to improve various aspects of operations, from research and development to marketing and distribution. For Novo Nordisk, AI's potential to assist in regulatory document inspections is particularly valuable because it can greatly reduce the time and effort required to navigate a complex compliance environment. Earlier this year, French drugmaker Sanofi announced plans to invest $437 million in its Indian center. Bristol-Myers Squibb confirmed that the company hopes to enhance drug development by using artificial intelligence and digital technologies, and expects its plant in Hyderabad, India to become its largest plant outside the United States by 2025.

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