AI-driven drug discovery gets $1 billion boost from Nvidia, Lilly

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Tech powerhouse NVIDIA and pharma maker Eli Lilly and Co. are teaming up for an artificial intelligence lab dedicated to revolutionizing drug discovery, the American companies announced Monday.

The companies plan to invest up to $1 billion over the next five years in talent, infrastructure and technology, focusing on leveraging artificial intelligence in the pharmaceutical industry.

Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, the new lab will open early in 2026. The lab aims to combine Eli Lilly’s extensive experience in drug development and production with Nvidia’s cutting-edge AI and computing capabilities. The Nvidia BioNeMo platform and Vera Rubin architecture will serve as essential components in accelerating and scaling the drug discovery process.

The collaboration will focus initially on establishing a continuous learning system that integrates Lilly’s wet labs with Nvidia’s computational dry labs, creating a synergetic environment for AI-assisted experimentation. This innovative framework will allow for 24/7 data generation and experimentation, advancing AI model development in real-time.

Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, emphasized the potential of AI in the life sciences sec...