Ozempic owner funding new supercomputer to accelerate drug discovery

The Novo Nordisk Foundation, the same entity behind the revolutionary drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, has announced its plans to fund a cutting-edge supercomputer powered by Nvidia’s artificial intelligence technology. This initiative aims to revolutionize the field of medicine by expediting the discovery of new drugs and treatments.

Eviden, a leading computing company based in France, has been awarded the contract to build what is projected to be one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. Equipped with advanced AI capabilities, this supercomputer will have the capacity to process massive amounts of data, paving the way for groundbreaking scientific discoveries in drug development, disease diagnosis, and treatment.

Cédric Bourrasset, Eviden’s head of quantum computing, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing the unparalleled potential of the supercomputer to drive innovation in various medical disciplines. The supercomputer, named Gefion, is slated to be operational for pilot projects by the end of the year and will be housed at Denmark’s national center for AI innovation.

Researchers from both the public and private sectors in Denmark will have access to Gefion, thanks to the collaboration between Novo Nordisk Foundation and Nvidia. Nvidia, a prominent player in the US stock market with a valuation of $2.21 trillion, will provide its latest chip technology to power the supercomputer.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation, which holds a majority stake in Novo Nordisk (NVO), a pharmaceutical giant comparable in value to Tesla, has seen a surge in its business due to the success of Ozempic and Wegovy. Ozempic, originally designed as a diabetes medication, has gained popularity for its weight loss properties, while Wegovy, containing the same active ingredient as Ozempic, has also gained traction in the market.

The integration of AI technology in scientific research has already demonstrated its potential earlier this year when Microsoft announced a breakthrough in battery material discovery. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory collaborated with Microsoft to utilize AI models and high-performance computing, reducing the search for promising battery candidates from 32 million to 18 in less than four days.