Novartis and Microsoft to collaborate on AI in medicine

Novartis has teamed with Microsoft to launch a new artificial intelligence (AI) innovation lab, which it says has the potential to “transform” and “reimagine” medicine.

The project will combine Novartis’ life sciences expertise with Microsoft’s Azure AI platform.

According to the pharmaceutical company, “the lab will aim to bring the power of AI to the desktop of every Novartis associate”.

The lab will also look at ways of using AI to tackle some of the “hardest computational challenges” in life sciences.

This project will start with generative chemistry and the optimisation of cell and gene therapies.

Joint research will be carried out across three “co-working environments” in Ireland, Switzerland, and the UK.

Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis, said that “alliances like this will help us deliver on our purpose to reimagine medicine to improve and extend patients’ lives”.

“Pairing our deep knowledge of human biology and medicine with Microsoft’s leading expertise in AI could transform the way we discover and develop medicines for the world,” Narasimhan added.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, said the lab would “address some of the biggest challenges facing the life sciences industry today and bring AI capabilities to every Novartis employee so they can unlock new insights as they work to discover new medicines and reduce patient costs”.

The deal reflects an increased focus on developing AI technology from Novartis this year.

Last month, the pharmaceutical company inked a deal with UK company BenevolentAI to use the tech to explore new oncology treatments.

That followed a partnership agreed between Novartis and Oxford University in January to use AI to improve drug development in multiple sclerosis, dermatology and rheumatology.

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