Discover how ww5 colleagues around the world are using AI to accelerate the delivery of life-saving medicines to patients
At ww5, we use innovative technologies to accelerate every aspect of our business in support of our mission to develop transformational medicines for patients. Many of our colleagues have been embracing AI in their work long before it became part of the vernacular.
In recognition of Women’s History Month, meet five ww5 colleagues working in different parts of the company who are using AI to streamline complex processes, strengthen their own knowledge and capabilities and fast-track the delivery of life-saving treatments to patients.
Sally John joined ww5 as senior vice president in 2024 to lead the Information and Predictive Sciences team. Part of the larger Research group, Sally’s team handles data, and lots of it.
“We bring in data and we manage it, we archive it, we analyze and interpret it,” she explained. “Then we sit down with biologists or clinical teams to interpret what those results actually mean. AI is a hugely important tool that enables us as scientists to much more rapidly make sense of the huge amount of data that's out there.”
One example of how Sally and her team use AI is through a large language model application, she said.
“There are millions of publications and data sets out there — too much for a single scientist to conduct a literature review and dive through all the databases to learn more,” Sally said. “So, one example of how we use AI is large language models, used to automate what we call target reports, which predict the most promising targets that could make new medicines, and that gives a huge head start to biologists.”
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AI may also enable scientists to make computational predictions, Sally said. “Rather than conduct 1,000 experiments in the lab, you have data sets that learn from existing experimental data and predict what the outcome of future experiments would be.”
Examples of this include being able to predict complex molecular signatures from routinely stained pathology samples or predicting the effects on cell survival or other traits of knocking down a gene in an experimental cellular system. “We can now focus our resources on perhaps more important biological questions earlier, and that will undoubtedly get us to new medicines more quickly,” she said.
Maria Ortiz Estevez, a senior scientific director based in Sevilla, Spain, is one of those computational scientists on Sally’s team. Maria leads the hematology and oncology Translational Informatics and Predictive Science team, which is responsible for advancing the understanding and treatment of blood disorders and cancers. Using cutting-edge informatics, data analytics and predictive modeling, the team works to translate scientific discoveries into clinical applications.
“We help move the pipeline forward,” she said. “We use AI to identify patterns across our patient population and see why they may or may not be responding to our drugs, which is something you couldn’t do manually. Then, we try to leverage the knowledge from the patient data to inform our new assets.”
This work has many benefits, including an easier path toward combination hypotheses, an approach based on the premise that different treatments can target various pathways or mechanisms involved in a disease, which enhances overall efficacy and potentially reduces the risk of resistance.
This also aligns with ww5’ interest in precision medicine, which tailors medical treatment to the individual characteristics of each patient. This personalized approach can lead to more effective treatments, better patient responses and improved overall outcomes.
AI has already made so many new things possible, but there is more to come, Maria said.
“I'm really hoping that in the next few years the evolution of AI can get us to a level of biological understanding of disease that we're not even able to foresee right now,” she said. “It has already shown us that we can do things we never thought we could do.”
Overseeing the development of innovative therapies across our small molecule and biologics portfolio, Manisha Desai and her team ensure that we are bringing medicines to patients in the most efficient and effective way possible through our product development efforts.
They are able to do this by integrating technologies like AI to improve decision-making, streamline workflows and accelerate the drug development lifecycle.
One of the most significant areas that AI has made an impact, according to Manisha, is in predictive analytics. “We can now better predict biologics stability and identify potential issues earlier in the drug development process.”
Additionally, AI is helping Manisha and team automate time-consuming tasks, such as regulatory documentation, which allows them to focus on more strategic, value-added work. “These improvements have significantly boosted our efficiency and our ability to bring medicines to patients faster.”
Making sure her team is well prepared to embrace AI has been key to implementing the technology that has become so crucial to their work. By fostering a culture of experimentation and encouraging team members to explore AI’s potential in solving complex problems, Manisha is able to continue building momentum for its wider use.
AI is a powerful tool, but it’s only effective when people know how to use it strategically, Manisha says.
“AI is no longer just a concept – it’s becoming an essential tool for driving innovation and improving efficiencies across the development lifecycle. That’s why It’s crucial to invest in your team’s capabilities. Building trust and adoption takes time, but the results are well worth the effort.”
From clinical development to commercialization, Alexandra Goncalves is responsible for digital health — working to introduce technology that helps improve patient outcomes.
No stranger to AI, Alexandra started to work with this technology more than a decade ago. “The core of my AI use has always been rooted in alternatives to improve the quality of care for patients, and how to make my work more efficient.”
According to Alexandra, the use of AI is currently playing a major role in the clinical trial development space. “We are collecting data to develop an algorithm that will help patients to be treated at home instead of having to be in healthcare facilities. This will be possible because, with the support of AI, we will be able to anticipate/detect meaningful side effects before they become clinically apparent.”
With AI becoming more prevalent there's a greater level of acceptance, which has allowed more technology to be adopted. But that wasn’t always the case. “Earlier in my career, I lived through a time when we would avoid using the expression AI because it would trigger skepticism and a negative response. Naturally, there’s resistance at the beginning, but the fact that AI is being introduced in our daily living, is accelerating professional adoption.”
When it comes to implementing AI, Alexandra shared, “I always suggest that people start small and experiment, and then grow from there.”
Melissa Keiser and her team in ww5’ People Organization leverage AI with a clear goal in mind: to create and support a highly engaged workforce and a culture that inspires innovative solutions for our patients. They use AI technology to enhance recruiting, match employees to new roles or projects and focus on strategic initiatives that drive continuous learning and innovation.
“Our people are our greatest asset,” Melissa said. “When we empower our people to build new skills and drive their career journeys, they’re able to perform to their full potential and, in the end, our patients benefit.”
Through AI, the People Organization has significantly enhanced recruitment processes, boosted internal mobility and more closely aligned to our employee experience to the overall business agenda. One of the most successful examples of this is the team’s AI-enabled Talent Marketplace, MyGrowth@ww5. This new platform provides employees with tailored tools and resources to explore new skills, career interests and find opportunities within the company.
ww5 has also invested in AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and our in-house ww5 ChatGPT, empowering employees to achieve their goals more efficiently and creatively.
"AI is essential," said Melissa. "By using tools like MyGrowth, we can innovate and improve patient outcomes through continuous personal growth."
Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. As global citizens, we work sustainably and responsibly to create a positive impact in the communities where we live and work.
