Rudy Lai
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rudyl.aiAI market researchALPHA

AI @ Merck & Co.

Leading global drugmaker
Industry
Last updated
July 3, 2025 at 10:44 AM

Summary

  • Merck has rapidly advanced AI adoption from late 2023 through early 2026, incorporating generative AI, machine learning, and computer-aided drug design to accelerate drug discovery, improve clinical trial processes, and optimize drug manufacturing. Key partnerships include Vector Institute and Variational AI, with deals worth hundreds of millions for AI-driven small molecule development.
  • The company leverages proprietary AI foundation models like TEDDY, integrating vast biomedical datasets and patient genomics to increase precision in target identification, reducing timelines from years to weeks. High-profile products benefiting from this include the KRAS G12C inhibitor MK-1084, with positive clinical Phase I results.
  • Merck combines internal AI tools with carefully integrated human oversight to enhance productivity, reduce clinical documentation times by up to 85%, and launch AI-powered health resources like the Merck Manuals search tool. Their AI efforts aim not only to innovate drug discovery but also to improve operational efficiency and patient outcomes.

VIBE METER

More AI announcements = more VIBE
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4 AI Use Cases at Merck & Co.

Clinical Authoring
2025
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Costs
Merck uses AI-enabled platforms to automate and accelerate the creation of clinical study documents, reducing turnaround times from weeks to days and increasing operational efficiency. [1][2][3]
Healthcare Search
2025
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Merck Manuals deployed an AI-powered search tool to enhance user experience, enabling healthcare professionals and patients to find relevant health information quickly and accurately. [1]
Target Identification
2025
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Revenue
AI models at Merck predict and filter drug targets more efficiently than traditional methods, accelerating timelines from years to weeks and improving the precision of candidate selection. [1][2][3]
Drug Discovery
2023
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Revenue
Merck employs AI to design and optimize novel small molecule drugs by integrating generative AI models and extensive biological data to increase success rates and speed up candidate identification. [1][2][3]

Timeline

2026 Q1

1 updates

Merck continues to transform AI into impactful applications across its value chain to work smarter and faster and reach patients sooner.

2025 Q4: no updates

2025 Q3

1 updates

Merck inked a $349 million expansion deal with Variational AI to apply generative AI models for small molecule drug candidates targeting challenging molecules, while also accelerating clinical report drafting.

2025 Q2

2 updates

Merck launched internal generative AI platforms to reduce clinical study document production time, developed foundation models like TEDDY improving disease inference accuracy, and deployed an AI-powered search tool for Merck Manuals.

2025 Q1

2 updates

Merck expanded AI use cases to accelerate drug manufacturing, drug discovery, and development, integrating large language models and maintaining human oversight in the AI workflow.

2024 Q4

2 updates

Merck shared detailed insights on their 360-degree AI strategy, applying AI to increase efficiency, productivity, and innovation across healthcare, life science, and electronics.

2024 Q3

1 updates

Merck highlighted the cultural and technological promise of AI within its scientific research, emphasizing AI’s role in transforming lives and innovation.

2024 Q2

2 updates

Merck KGaA signed a $376 million deal with AI-focused biotech Biolojic Design for drug discovery, and Boston Consulting Group began strategic generative AI collaboration with Merck.

2024 Q1

2 updates

Merck partnered with Vector Institute to access AI research expertise and started collaboration with Variational AI to evaluate generative AI platforms for novel small molecule design.

2023 Q4

1 updates

Merck launched its first ever AI solution integrating generative AI, machine learning, and computer-aided drug design to increase drug discovery and synthesis success rates.