Novo Nordisk Unveils Major R&D Restructuring to Enhance Innovation and AI Integration

Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical giant, has announced a significant reorganization of its early-stage R&D capabilities, aimed at driving innovation and integrating artificial intelligence (AI) across its operations. The restructuring, revealed on March 20, 2025, marks a strategic shift in the company's approach to drug discovery and development, with a particular focus on its core therapeutic areas.

New R&D Structure Emphasizes Therapy Area Units

The cornerstone of Novo Nordisk's R&D overhaul is the establishment of three "therapy area units":

1. Diabetes, Obesity, and MASH
2. Cardiovascular and Renal
3. Rare Disease

These units will be responsible for setting innovation priorities within their respective fields. Supporting these core units are specialized teams dedicated to AI and Digital Innovation, as well as Strategy, Portfolio, Operations, and Communication. This new structure replaces the previous arrangement that spread R&D efforts across Global Drug Discovery, Global Research Technologies, and various technology exploration units.

Marcus Schindler, Ph.D., Novo Nordisk's Chief Scientific Officer, explained the rationale behind the changes: "What we're trying to achieve is a higher level of accountability for the therapy areas [so] that their own full portfolios, from end-to-end ideation to human outcomes, can access all the technologies that we're now integrating in a scalable unit."

AI Integration and Future-Focused Approach

A key driver of the reorganization is the desire to fully leverage AI and data across all aspects of R&D. Schindler emphasized that the previous structure "wasn't the structure that really allowed us to have data and AI penetrate everything that we do."

The company is placing particular emphasis on its diabetes and obesity research, allocating increased resources to these areas. This focus aligns with Novo Nordisk's current market strengths, including its blockbuster weight loss drug, Wegovy.

While the restructuring may lead to some roles becoming redundant, Schindler insisted that the changes are not primarily a cost-cutting measure. "This is really to take us into the future, and I think we are still acting on a position of strength," he stated. The CSO also highlighted that new roles and job descriptions would emerge as part of the company's evolution.

Implications for Current Pipeline and Future Strategy

The reorganization raises questions about the future of some of Novo Nordisk's less prominent programs, such as its early-stage Parkinson's cell therapy and oncology work. Schindler acknowledged that these areas are "not in the center of our therapy area strategy" and that their future would be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Despite recent setbacks, including underwhelming phase 3 results for its next-generation weight loss therapy CagriSema, Novo Nordisk remains committed to its obesity strategy. Schindler emphasized that the company's ambitions extend beyond "a reasonably narrow narrative about weight loss" to encompass a broader range of clinically relevant outcomes and comorbidities associated with obesity.

As Novo Nordisk implements these changes, the pharmaceutical industry will be watching closely to see how this restructuring impacts the company's innovation pipeline and its ability to maintain its leadership position in key therapeutic areas.