Factbox-Pharma sector doubles down on AI to slash costs, timelines

Sept. 21 (Reuters) - Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to accelerate research and development, betting on new modeling tools and automated labs to improve efficiency across their pipelines. Industry forecasts suggest that the use of machine learning to optimize target discovery, design molecules and streamline clinical trial planning could halve early-stage development timelines and costs within the next three to five years. Below are the major AI-related partnerships announced from 2025 through September 2026: | Deal announcement | Partners | Deal size (as reported) | Primary objective | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Jan. 7, 2025 | PostEra × Pfizer PFE.N | $610 mln potential; incl. $12 mln upfront | Expand Pfizer–PostEra AI Lab and add ADC payload-design program | | Jan. 13, 2025 | IQVIA IQV.N × NVIDIA NVDA.O | Undisclosed | Build custom AI models/agents to automate R&D-commercial workflows | | Feb. 20, 2025 | Incyte INCY.O × Genesis Therapeutics | $30 mln upfront; up to $295 mln/target milestones + royalties | Use GEMS platform to design small molecules for Incyte targets | | Mar. 3, 2025 | Kyndryl KD.N × Microsoft MSFT.O | Undisclosed | Deploy Dragon Copilot to reduce documentation burden | | Mar. 18, 2025 | GE HealthCare GEHC.O × NVIDIA | Undisclosed | Develop autonomous X-ray and ultrasound workflows | | Mar. 25, 2025 | Cleveland Clinic × G42 | Undisclosed | Form task force to accelerate AI use in care and operations | | Apr. 16, 2025 | Kenvue KVUE.N × Microsoft | Undisclosed (5-yr) | Modernize operations using Azure, genAI, and digital twins | | Apr. 29, 2025 | Eli Lilly LLY.N × Creyon Bio | $13 mln upfront; >$1 bln milestones | Use AI engine to design improved RNA-targeted oligos | | May 21, 2025 | Genentech (Roche) ROG.S × Orionis Biosciences | $105 mln upfront; >$2 bln milestones + royalties | Discover monovalent molecular glues using Allo-Glue platform | | Jun. 11, 2025 | Novo Nordisk NOVOb.CO × NVIDIA × DCAI (Gefion) | Undisclosed | Build bespoke AI models using Gefion supercomputer | | Jun. 13, 2025 | AstraZeneca AZN.L × CSPC Pharmaceutical 1093.HK | $110 mln upfront; up to $1.62 bln dev milestones; up to $3.6 bln sales milestones | Discover oral drug candidates; AZ holds global licensing rights | | Jun. 29-30, 2025 | Pfizer × XtalPi 2228.HK | Undisclosed | Expand to next-gen physics + AI modelling platform | | Jul. 2, 2025 | AstraZeneca × Modella AI | Undisclosed (multi-year) | Use multimodal AI models to speed oncology development | | Aug. 14, 2025 | Eli Lilly × Superluminal Medicines | Up to $1.3 bln + royalties | Apply AI GPCR platform to undisclosed targets | | Sept. 1, 2025 | University of Oxford × Ellison Institute | £118 mln funding | Use AI + challenge models to map correlates of immunity | | Sept. 23, 2025 | Merck KGaA MRCG.DE × Siemens SIEGn.DE | Undisclosed (MoU) | Connect R&D and manufacturing through Siemens digital platforms | | Oct. 14, 2025 | Takeda 4502.T × Nabla Bio | Double-digit millions upfront + >$1 bln milestones | Use JAM AI model to design antibodies and multispecifics | | Oct. 26-27, 2025 | Novartis NOVN.S × Avidity Biosciences RNA.O | ~$12 bln cash | Acquire Avidity to strengthen xRNA and neuromuscular portfolio | | Oct. 28, 2025 | Eli Lilly × NVIDIA | Undisclosed (>1,000 GPUs) | Build large-scale AI supercomputer for R&D | | Oct. 28, 2025 | Johnson & Johnson MedTech JNJ.N × NVIDIA | Undisclosed | Use Isaac + Omniverse to simulate OR workflows | | Nov. 10, 2025 | Eli Lilly × Insilico Medicine | >$100 mln potential + royalties | Use Pharma.AI to design small-molecule candidates | | Nov. 20, 2025 | Merck KGaA × Valo Health | Over $3 bln potential | Use Valo’s human-data AI to identify targets and speed preclinical work | | Dec. 9, 2025 | Novartis × Relation Therapeutics | $55 mln upfront + up to $1.7 bln milestones | Use AI + multi-omics to find first-in-class targets | | Jan. 7, 2026 | GSK GSK.L × Helix | Undisclosed | Provide GSK exome + longitudinal data for target discovery | | Jan. 8, 2026 | GSK × Noetik | $50 mln upfront + near-term milestones | License AI virtual-cell models for cancer research | | Jan. 8, 2026 | Pfizer × Boltz | Undisclosed | Fine-tune Boltz AI models with Pfizer data | | Jan. 9, 2026 | Schrodinger SDGR.O × Eli Lilly | Undisclosed | Integrate TuneLab models into LiveDesign | | Jan. 12, 2026 | NVIDIA × Thermo Fisher TMO.N | Undisclosed | Pair NVIDIA AI with lab instruments for automation | | Jan. 12, 2026 | NVIDIA × Eli Lilly | Up to $1 bln over 5 years | Create closed-loop AI + robotics discovery lab | | Jan. 13, 2026 | Illumina ILMN.O × AstraZeneca × Merck MRK.N × Eli Lilly | Undisclosed | Launch Billion Cell Atlas for large-scale AI training | | Jan. 13, 2026 | AstraZeneca acquires Modella AI | Undisclosed | Acquire Modella to deploy foundation models across oncology R&D | | Apr. 14, 2026 | Novo Nordisk NOVOb.CO × OpenAI | Undisclosed | Deploy AI across its business, from drug discovery to manufacturing and commercial operations | | Apr. 14, 2026 | Labcorp LH.N × Amazon Web Services × Datavant | Undisclosed | Build an AI-powered real-world data platform to help researchers analyze Alzheimer's disease-related data faster | | Apr. 14, 2026 | Vasa Therapeutics × Eli Lilly | Undisclosed | Enable Vasa to use Lilly TuneLab, an AI-enabled drug discovery platform trained on Lilly's proprietary data | | Apr. 22, 2026 | Merck × Alphabet's Google Cloud | $1 billion | Build AI capabilities, investing as much as $1 billion over a number of years to fund AI infrastructure, engineers and Gemini Enterprise licensing | | Apr. 28, 2026 | Profluent × Eli Lilly | Upfront payment + eligible to receive up to $2.25 billion in development, commercial milestone payments and royalties | Research collaboration to develop and commercialize custom site-specific recombinases for diseases with severe unmet needs | | May 6, 2026 | Simulations Plus SLP.O × NVIDIA | Undisclosed | Technical collaboration focused on GPU-accelerated simulation and AI-assisted workflows for drug development modeling | | May 7, 2026 | Roche × PathAI | $750 million upfront + additional milestone payments of up to $300 million | Acquisition strengthens Roche's position in digital pathology and helps transform manual workflows into fully automated, AI-driven processes | | May 13, 2026 | Owkin × AstraZeneca | Undisclosed | Build biopharma agents as part of their three-year licensing of K Pro, Owkin’s AI Scientist for biopharma decision making | | May 13, 2026 | IQVIA × Kexing Biopharm 688136.SS | Undisclosed | Support a global, multi-product biosimilar development and commercialization program | | May 14, 2026 | Anthropic × Gates Foundation | $200 million | Back artificial intelligence-related public goods and areas including health and education | | May 19, 2026 | Incyte INCY.O × Edison Scientific | Undisclosed | Strategic collaboration to employ Kosmos, Edison’s AI scientist, for Incyte’s discovery and development work | | May 20, 2026 | Incyte × Genesis | Upfront consideration of $120 million + Genesis eligible to receive over $1 billion if all milestones are achieved | Expand collaboration to accelerate discovery of novel molecules for targets selected by Incyte | | May 20, 2026 | Bristol Myers Squibb × Anthropic | Undisclosed | Make Claude AI available to more than 30,000 employees to accelerate discovery, development and delivery of new medicines | | May 20, 2026 | Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD) × Eli Lilly | Undisclosed | Integrate Lilly TuneLab into CDD Vault | | June 4, 2026 | Chai Discovery × Pfizer | Undisclosed | Use Chai's AI platform to help accelerate drug discovery and research | | June 5, 2026 | Sanofi × Owkin | New deal terms not disclosed; it extends a 2021 partnership worth about €90 million ($105.10 million) | Develop AI tools to support drug research and development | | June 10, 2026 | Novartis × Orionis Biosciences | $40 mln upfront; up to $1.4 bln milestones + royalties | Discover and develop molecular glue medicines using Orionis' Allo-Glue platform | | June 17, 2026 | Jazz Pharmaceuticals × AbCellera | $56 mln upfront; up to $792 mln in milestone payments | Discover next-generation T-cell engaging multispecific antibodies | | July 1, 2026 | Takeda × Insilico Medicine | Up to $600 mln + tiered royalties | Use Insilico's AI platform to identify new drug candidates across Takeda's therapeutic areas | | July 13, 2026 | Chai Discovery × Novartis | Undisclosed | Use Chai's AI platform to support antibody drug discovery across multiple targets | | July 20, 2026 | Bristol Myers Squibb × NVIDIA | Undisclosed | Use Nvidia's AI computing system to help speed drug discovery and R&D | | July 30, 2026 | GSK × Relation Therapeutics | Up to $110 mln, including upfront payment and success-based milestones | Generate large-scale human cell data and train AI models to support drug discovery | | Aug. 5, 2026 | Schrödinger × Bristol Myers Squibb | Undisclosed | Deploy Schrödinger's AI research assistant Bunsen in Bristol Myers' drug discovery efforts | | Aug. 20, 2026 | Bristol Myers Squibb BMY.N × Chai Discovery | Undisclosed | Use Chai's AI models and platform to support the discovery of therapeutic antibody candidates across Bristol Myers Squibb's pipeline | | Sept. 16, 2026 | Novo Nordisk NOVOb.CO × Anthropic | Undisclosed | Use Anthropic's Claude models to speed up discovery and development of new medicines | | Sept. 16, 2026 | Eli Lilly LLY.N × Twist Bioscience TWST.O | Undisclosed | Provide Twist’s antibody data services for Lilly’s AI platform, TuneLab, to help discover new antibody drugs | | Sept. 21, 2026 | AbbVie ABBV.N × Iambic | Undisclosed | A multi-year agreement to support the development of new small-molecule medicines for immunology, neuroscience and cancer, using Iambic's AI drug discovery platform | ($1 = 0.8563 euros)

Factbox-Pharma sector doubles down on AI to slash costs, timelines

Pharmaceutical companies increase AI use to speed R&D

Major AI-related partnerships announced from 2025 through September 2026

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The Magnificent Seven strike back

Jan. 7, 2025	PostEra × Pfizer PFE.N	$610 mln potential; incl. $12 mln upfront	Expand Pfizer–PostEra AI Lab and add ADC payload-design program
Jan. 13, 2025	IQVIA IQV.N × NVIDIA NVDA.O	Undisclosed	Build custom AI models/agents to automate R&D-commercial workflows
Feb. 20, 2025	Incyte INCY.O × Genesis Therapeutics	$30 mln upfront; up to $295 mln/target milestones + royalties	Use GEMS platform to design small molecules for Incyte targets
Mar. 3, 2025	Kyndryl KD.N × Microsoft MSFT.O	Undisclosed	Deploy Dragon Copilot to reduce documentation burden
Mar. 18, 2025	GE HealthCare GEHC.O × NVIDIA	Undisclosed	Develop autonomous X-ray and ultrasound workflows
Mar. 25, 2025	Cleveland Clinic × G42	Undisclosed	Form task force to accelerate AI use in care and operations
Apr. 16, 2025	Kenvue KVUE.N × Microsoft	Undisclosed (5-yr)	Modernize operations using Azure, genAI, and digital twins
Apr. 29, 2025	Eli Lilly LLY.N × Creyon Bio	$13 mln upfront; >$1 bln milestones	Use AI engine to design improved RNA-targeted oligos
May 21, 2025	Genentech (Roche) ROG.S × Orionis Biosciences	$105 mln upfront; >$2 bln milestones + royalties	Discover monovalent molecular glues using Allo-Glue platform
Jun. 11, 2025	Novo Nordisk NOVOb.CO × NVIDIA × DCAI (Gefion)	Undisclosed	Build bespoke AI models using Gefion supercomputer
Jun. 13, 2025	AstraZeneca AZN.L × CSPC Pharmaceutical 1093.HK	$110 mln upfront; up to $1.62 bln dev milestones; up to $3.6 bln sales milestones	Discover oral drug candidates; AZ holds global licensing rights
Jun. 29-30, 2025	Pfizer × XtalPi 2228.HK	Undisclosed	Expand to next-gen physics + AI modelling platform
Jul. 2, 2025	AstraZeneca × Modella AI	Undisclosed (multi-year)	Use multimodal AI models to speed oncology development
Aug. 14, 2025	Eli Lilly × Superluminal Medicines	Up to $1.3 bln + royalties	Apply AI GPCR platform to undisclosed targets
Sept. 1, 2025