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Novo to double global process leaders in India in 3-4

years

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Novo has partnered with 10 Indian AI start-ups for various

tasks

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India centre to mirror Denmark HQ in handling R&D data,

exec

says

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Other drugmakers ramping up operations in India as well

By Rishika Sadam and Haripriya Suresh

BENGALURU, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk,

whose global profile has risen along with demand for its Wegovy

weight-loss drug, is bolstering operations in the world's most

populous nation by beefing up senior leadership in India and

partnering with local AI start-ups, a top executive told

Reuters.

The moves are part of an expansion of the Danish drugmaker's

operations in Bengaluru, which launched 17 years ago. The centre

helps manage massive amounts of data collected on the safety and

efficacy of its medicines, including information from clinical

trials and reports of potential side effects.

The company, which has become among the world's most

valuable due to soaring demand for Wegovy and related diabetes

drug Ozempic, will double the number of global process leaders

based in India over the next three to four years, and boost its

overall headcount by 16% to 5,000 next year, John Dawber, Novo's

managing director for global business services, said.

Novo also has partnerships with 10 start-ups in India to use

artificial intelligence for a host of tasks including

summarizing documents, extracting insights and checking for

editing errors, Dawber said, adding that some of these AI tools

are being used across its global operations.

The company's medical writers are using AI to reduce the

time needed for quality checks on documents, some intended for

submission to drug regulators in various required formats in

countries ranging from the U.S. to Japan.

"It goes from 40 hours per document to about 40 minutes per

document," Dawber said in an interview in Bengaluru.

Dawber said he expects the India centre to emerge as "an

almost perfect mirror image" of the company's Bagsvaerd, Denmark

headquarters in three years in terms of handling data central to

research and development.

"It's still and always will be a shared activity. But

certainly, the pendulum is swinging towards more responsibility

for the today and the future products here in Bengaluru," he

said.

BETTING ON INDIA

Novo is not the only major pharmaceutical company betting

big on India.

Earlier this year, French drugmaker Sanofi

revealed plans to invest $437 million in its India centre.

Bristol Myers Squibb ( BMY ) confirmed it expected its

Hyderabad, India facility to become its largest unit outside the

U.S. by 2025 as it looks to enhance drug development through the

use of AI and digital technologies.

Half of Novo's global safety assessment work, which tracks

reports of drug side effects and shares them with health

regulators across the globe, is handled by its India operation.

Dawber's team in India also contributes to producing safety

update reports, brochure updates through the drug development

process, risk management plans and other publications.

Novo did not comment on the amount it has invested in

expanding the India centre or its AI partnerships, but confirmed

it was open to collaborating with more such startups in India.

Wegovy and rival drugs from Eli Lilly ( LLY ) sold under the

brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound belong to a class of therapies

known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that help control blood sugar

and slow digestion, making people feel full longer.

Novo and Lilly have plans to launch their drugs in India as

they compete for a global weight-loss market some analysts have

said could reach $150 billion in the next decade.