OpenAI acquires Orchestra Bio to build AI agents for drug development

OpenAI acquired Orchestra Bio, a startup that helps pharmaceutical teams coordinate drug development, and folded it into its AI platform Rosalind. The combined system aims to build AI agents that link scientific findings with clinical trials and decisions to speed up drug development. Currently, developing a drug in the US takes 10 to 15 years on average, and siloed systems and coordination between internal teams and external partners slow the process. Orchestra's agents are designed to track trials, flag affected timelines when issues like failed production batches occur, and surface next-step options, potentially freeing scientists to focus on research. OpenAI already collaborates with Novo Nordisk and Moderna on AI-driven pharma research.