Key Takeaways:
- Merck is applying AI across the company to work smarter and faster, with the goal of reaching patients sooner
- The company is using AI in five key areas: accelerating the discovery of new medicines, optimizing clinical trials, automating workflows, modernizing manufacturing, and streamlining education and engagement with healthcare providers
- AI is helping Merck scientists to unlock patterns in disease and find better drug targets, allowing for faster molecular design and testing
- The company is using predictive models to improve site selection, patient matching, and retention in clinical trials
- Merck is also using AI to automate workflows, modernize manufacturing, and streamline education and engagement with healthcare providers
Introduction to Innovation
At Merck, innovation is at the forefront of the company’s mission to save and improve lives around the world. As stated, "We’re in the business of knowledge, insights and innovation — rooted in intelligence." The company is applying artificial intelligence (AI) across its operations to work smarter and faster, with the goal of reaching patients sooner. AI is no longer just limited to software and computer systems, but is also being used in the data, development, and delivery of intelligent tools to achieve better outcomes for patients. As the company notes, "Today, artificial intelligence (AI) — or what could also be ‘automated’, ‘accelerated’ or ‘augmented’ intelligence — lies not only in software and computer systems, but in the data, development and delivery of these intelligent tools to achieve better outcomes for patients."
Accelerating the Discovery of New Medicines
One of the key areas where Merck is using AI is in the discovery of new medicines. The company is working to change the fact that only about 1 in 10 drug candidates that enter clinical trials ultimately receive regulatory approval. By using AI and machine learning (ML) foundation models, scientists can enhance and build upon their existing approaches to drug design before experimental testing and clinical trials. As the company notes, "We recently developed two foundation models which uncover patterns in disease to find better drug targets, allow faster molecular design and rapidly test small molecules, including cyclic peptides, for efficacy and toxicity before going into the clinic." This approach has the potential to accelerate the discovery of leading therapeutic candidates, allowing Merck to get therapies to patients faster without compromising scientific rigor.
Optimizing Clinical Trials
Another area where Merck is using AI is in optimizing clinical trials. Enrolling people in clinical trials and keeping them engaged once they’ve signed up remains a significant challenge across the industry, with approximately 20% of activated sites failing to enroll a single participant. Merck is addressing this by using AI to help improve site selection, patient matching, and retention. For example, predictive models can flag patients at higher risk of dropping out, enabling targeted interventions that improve retention and keep trials on track. As the company notes, "Predictive models can flag patients at higher risk of dropping out, enabling targeted interventions that improve retention and keep trials on track." This approach has the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical trials, allowing Merck to get new treatments to patients faster.
Automating Workflows and Modernizing Manufacturing
Merck is also using AI to automate workflows and modernize manufacturing. The company’s enterprise-wide training program helps employees understand the latest digital technology, including generative and agentic AI, and learn how to use it responsibly. The company’s proprietary AI platform applies large language models to enable employees to automate, simplify, and digitize processes that historically took more time, freeing them up to prioritize more impactful work. In vaccine manufacturing, Merck is using computer vision to inspect vials and syringes for defects, resulting in less waste, lower costs, and higher production speed. As the company notes, "Generative AI helps protect our supply chain when potentially disruptive events like natural disasters or port delays occur." This approach has the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Merck’s manufacturing operations, allowing the company to get products to patients faster.
Streamlining Education and Engagement
Finally, Merck is using AI to streamline education and engagement with healthcare providers. The company is using AI to organize messages more intelligently, resulting in higher quality, personalized content that gets to healthcare providers faster. The company’s generative AI-powered chatbot for field representatives summarizes relevant insights and helps respond in real-time to provider needs. As the company notes, "We’ve embedded AI across the content life cycle — from conception through medical, legal and regulatory review — so that we can organize messages more intelligently." This approach has the potential to improve the effectiveness of Merck’s education and engagement efforts, allowing the company to better support healthcare providers and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
The Importance of Data
At the heart of Merck’s AI efforts is data. The company has a vast repository of proprietary and secure data, but for it to be usable, it must first be structured and organized. As the company notes, "Data powers AI. We have a vast repository of proprietary and secure data, but for it to be usable, it must first be structured and organized." Merck is continuously working to create a frictionless data flow so AI can reliably and accurately drive faster, more targeted, and personalized outcomes. As the company notes, "Data is critical to our business strategy and to our pipeline. When our data is high-quality, well-manicured and organized to support powerful insights, we can make more accurate and intelligent predictions — and move faster to deliver the medicines and vaccines patients are waiting for." By leveraging AI and data, Merck is working to improve the lives of patients around the world.
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