How AI is speeding up drug development for Glenmark, Sun Pharma
Sun Pharma's Dilip Shanghvi says artificial intelligence (AI) could help compress timelines within a roughly 18-month window for late-stage patient recruitment and regulatory filings, while Glenmark has spoken more generally about compressing timelines—particularly for small-molecule work and analysis of Phase III data.
Both companies are exploring AI for things like finding the right patients for trials, analyzing results, and speeding up paperwork—right as global pharma spending on AI is set to more than double by 2034.
AI's biggest impact so far
AI helps scientists quickly sort through molecules, predict side effects, and even understand how proteins interact in the body.
Glenmark's chairman Glenn Saldanha says the biggest wins right now are in small-molecule research, but there's potential for more.
Sun Pharma's Dilip Shanghvi points out that late-stage trials—usually a long slog—can move much faster with these tools.
Both companies are seeing big returns from their innovation push
Glenmark just landed a $1.9 billion deal with AbbVie for its cancer drug ISB2001, which could seriously boost its revenue.
Meanwhile, Sun Pharma's innovative products now make up about a fifth of its revenue, and the company posted revenues of ₹52,041 crore last year—all signs that betting on innovation (and AI) is paying off.