As Big Pharma adds AI technology to bolster drug development, a cadre of new, upstart biotechs are pushing drug discovery to new heights.
No more is artificial intelligence a neat little program to speed up your writing. In the biopharma world, AI has become essential to everyday operations—capable of shaving billions off the laborious drug development process.
This has become evident as CEOs at the highest echelons of pharma are asked on earnings calls about how AI is shaping their processes. In responding to one such question, Pfizer’s Albert Bourla described how AI has helped the company integrate Seagen, which it acquired for $43 billion in 2023.
“We view AI as the structural transformation opportunity for driving substantial acceleration of our R&D pipeline, greater speed and productivity across our business and an improved competitive position for Pfizer,” Bourla said in early August.
Our ambition is to build an AI-native R&D organization where every insight from target discovery through medical evidence continuously informs the next decision.
He’s not alone in his thinking.
“AI is driving measurable efficiencies across our R&D and operations,” said AstraZeneca’s Pam Cheng, E...