Danaher steps up AI push in life sciences

Acknowledging the rapid development of the artificial intelligence sector in China, US life sciences company Danaher Corp is expecting further cooperation in combining AI with life sciences and will continue to invest in the country, a senior executive said.

Lan Jun, general manager of Agela & Phenomenex China, an operating company of Danaher, said during a recent forum in Tianjin:"'China Speed' never goes out of style. Over the last two decades, China has been a pioneer in manufacturing. Now, in the era of new technology, the country is still playing a leading role."

In recent years, China has made significant progress in the smart industry, particularly in the pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors, he said.

AI technology is widely used to enhance productivity. For example, JD Health utilizes AI to optimize supply chain management, improving the efficiency and accuracy of pharmaceutical distribution.

"The development of AI+BI (business intelligence) can drive reductions in the drug development cycle as well as costs. For our Danaher Life Sciences Platform, AI+BI has reduced the time and cost of drug development by 50 percent," Lan added.

According to the seventh edition of the AI Index report released by Stanford University in April, which highlighted the significant role of AI in advancing scientific discovery, the United States leads China, the European Union and the United Kingdom as the leading source of top AI models. However, in terms of AI patents, China is far ahead.

In 2022, China led the global AI patent source market with 61.1 percent, far exceeding the US, which accounted for 20.9 percent. In 2010, the US accounted for 54.1 percent, the report from Stanford showed.

"During my eight years at Danaher, I have participated in and witnessed the company's investments and relentless efforts in AI and technological innovation. Our development in China is also the result of that.

"Currently, Danaher has 14 research and development teams and nine manufacturing bases in China, including the Agela factory in Tianjin. These teams and bases play a crucial role in driving technological innovation, improving production efficiency and meeting customer needs," he said.

Wang Hongwei, a professor at the School of Life Sciences and vice-president of Tsinghua University, said: "With the rapid development of AI, we have seen an increasing number of pharmaceutical multinational corporations working with emerging biopharmaceutical companies in China, in early drug development, as well as diagnosis and treatment. This kind of collaboration has already been formed as an innovative ecosystem in China."

Lan said the company views China as a fertile soil for innovation.

"China's smart industry is poised to play an increasingly important role on the global stage, with numerous investment opportunities waiting to be tapped into. Looking ahead, we expect to bring more investments and opportunities to AI-empowered life sciences sector in the country, generating sparks of innovative ideas in China, and hopefully for the world," he said.