& Co (MSD) is continuing its multi-year cloud migration to Amazon鈥檚 cloud computing subsidiary (AWS), as the pharma company looks to accelerate scientific research and discovery through artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
AWS, one of the largest cloud providers in the world, is working with global consulting firm 鈥渢o move a substantial portion of [MSD鈥檚] IT infrastructure鈥� to Amazon鈥檚 cloud platform, according to a 29 November press release.
MSD has been working with AWS since 2021, according to the cloud provider. As part of the multi-year cloud migration, MSD has been transitioning IT applications such as machine learning software and data warehouses to AWS.
AWS, which recorded a revenue of $80bn in 2022, says that MSD鈥檚 use of analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) on its cloud platform has helped with pharmaceutical research and manufacturing.
A report by GlobalData analysing the cloud鈥檚 utilisation in healthcare highlights how the migration of data and applications can expedite drug discovery and development, lead to easier management of health data, improve the efficiency of clinical trials, and reduce disruption in the supply chain.
鈥淐loud helps to transform processes across the pharma value chain and supports the use of other enabling tech such as AI,” GlobalData analyst Jemima Walker told Pharmaceutical Technology earlier this month.
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By GlobalData鈥淎ny company not investing in cloud computing will fail to reap the benefits of the technology.鈥�
In November 2022, MSD leveraged AWS鈥檚 machine learning model creator to build HawkAVI 鈥� a platform to improve product yield and generate insights into the company鈥檚 drug product automatic visual inspection processes. MSD has said that the analytics provided by HawkAVI have reduced the overall false reject rates by 50% in its drug product lines.
MSD鈥檚 chief information and digital officer Dave Williams said that although the partnership will help across the company鈥檚 value chain, the most crucial aspect is the ability to harness generative-AI applications via AWS.
AWS also added that MSD will be able to redirect resources during its modernisation, adding that the pharma company has already freed up significant IT operational savings.
MSD does not necessarily need not be in saving mode though 鈥� the company reported better-than-expected Q3 earnings. Citing strong sales of its blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab), HPV vaccine Gardasil, and Covid-19 drug Lagevrio (molnupiravir), MSD boosted its full-year sales forecast to a range of $59.7bn鈥�$60.2bn, up from previous guidance of $58.6bn鈥�$59.6bn.
MSD is not the only player in the pharmaceutical sector tapping AWS鈥檚 services – and both have long-standing partnerships with the cloud provider.
Earlier this week, AWS announced it was expanding its work with US biopharma to create generative artificial intelligence (generative AI)-based solutions for drug discovery and development. Last month, rival global cloud provider Google entered a partnership with Insmed to develop its own gen-AI tools for the same applications in drug development.
