Pharmaceutical company H. Lundbeck A/S has announced a strategic partnership with the Danish Centre for AI Innovation (DCAI) to leverage Denmark's flagship AI supercomputer, Gefion, for accelerating drug discovery in neurological and psychiatric disorders. The agreement positions Lundbeck as one of the first pharmaceutical companies to utilize this advanced computing resource for brain health research.
Brain disorders affect approximately half of the world's population, significantly impacting quality of life despite scientific advancements. Many patients continue to face limited treatment options, highlighting substantial unmet needs in neurological and psychiatric care.
Harnessing AI for Neurological Breakthroughs
The collaboration will focus on using Gefion's computational capabilities to provide AI-driven insights for molecule discovery and drug optimization. Lundbeck aims to identify novel treatments for known drug targets while also exploring emerging targets, particularly for rare and specialist-treated neurological conditions.
Tarek Samad, Senior Vice President & Head of Research at Lundbeck, emphasized the significance of this partnership within the company's innovation strategy: "We are excited to be among the pioneers utilizing Gefion's AI supercomputing power. The advanced computational capabilities of Gefion come with the promise of potentially allowing us to push the boundaries of tackling brain diseases and develop treatments at an unprecedented pace."
The collaboration represents a significant milestone in applying AI supercomputing to pharmaceutical research. Gefion ranks among the most powerful supercomputers globally, powered by 1,528 NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs specifically designed for large-scale AI projects.
Accelerating Treatment Development
Nadia Carlsten, CEO of DCAI, highlighted the potential impact of the partnership: "It's an exciting milestone for us to work with such a big customer and innovator in the pharmaceutical space like Lundbeck. We've been maturing Gefion since its launch just a few months ago, and to see its computing power now helping Lundbeck's scientists uncover new treatment pathways more efficiently is very rewarding. This agreement has the potential to accelerate the timeline for bringing impactful neurological therapies to patients."
The agreement comes at a critical time when AI is reshaping pharmaceutical research and development. Lundbeck, with over 70 years of experience in neuroscience, will integrate Gefion's capabilities into its research workflow to potentially reduce drug discovery timelines and improve treatment efficacy.
AI-Powered Research Strategy
Claus Thomsen, Senior Vice President of Global IT at Lundbeck, described how the partnership aligns with the company's technology strategy: "Working together with DCAI marks an important step towards transforming brain disease research by employing AI. Providing our researchers with access to Gefion and the state-of-the-art software stack opens the opportunity to leverage the fast-evolving development of AI-driven analysis and large-scale simulations. This supports our strategy to harness the power of AI for the benefit of our patients."
The Gefion supercomputer is already being utilized by various organizations for projects spanning foundational AI research, healthcare solutions, and pharmaceutical innovation. DCAI, formed in 2024 with funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation and EIFO, aims to lower barriers to advanced computing capabilities and foster ecosystem growth.
Addressing Complex Neurological Challenges
Lundbeck's focus on brain health encompasses both common and rare neurological and psychiatric conditions. The company's research and development programs target some of the most complex neurological challenges, developing treatments for patients with few or no available options.
With approximately 5,500 employees across more than 50 countries and products available in over 80 countries, Lundbeck's global reach positions it to potentially translate AI-driven discoveries into widespread patient impact.
As AI continues to transform drug discovery processes, this partnership between Lundbeck and DCAI represents a significant step toward addressing urgent healthcare challenges in neuroscience through computational innovation.
