Novo Nordisk will be able to carry out experiments on an unprecedented scale with the supercomputer, says innovation manager.
The Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk has already identified artificial intelligence as an important ingredient in the current and future development of new drugs.
Now the company has entered into a collaboration with the Danish Centre for AI Innovation (DCAI), which gives it access to the Danish supercomputer Gefion.
DCAI writes this in a press release on Wednesday.
Novo Nordisk will use the supercomputer for research and development of new drugs in the company’s core areas of diabetes and obesity.
“AI models can now be used to solve critical scientific problems,” says Lars Fogh Iversen, head of innovation at Novo Nordisk, in the announcement.
“We are still learning, but the possibilities are enormous.”
The common denominator in the agreement is the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which has ownership on both sides.
The fund owns 85 percent of DCAI and, through its investment company, also holds just over a quarter of the shares in Novo Nordisk.
Gefion is one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. At the end of last year, it ranked 21st on the global top 500 list.
The supercomputer has cost 700 million kroner, of which 600 million was paid by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and the Danish Export and Investment Fund has contributed 100 million kroner.
Gefion was created to develop new medicines, diagnose diseases and find effective solutions in the green transition.
Lundbeck – another Danish pharmaceutical company – is also a customer of DCAI.
Novo Nordisk does not want to say anything about how long the collaboration agreement with DCAI will last or what it will cost.
In a written comment, Lars Fogh Iversen explains that artificial intelligence still plays a major role in the development of new medicine.
“But to exploit the full potential, enormous computing power is needed,” it says.
“We are very pleased with this agreement with DCAI for the use of Gefion, as it will enable us to conduct experiments in our research on a scale that has not previously been possible.”
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