Best AI agents for pharmaceutical companies in 2025
*Summary:
AI agents are the fastest route to safe, compliant drug development. With adoption rising (23% in life sciences, 79% across enterprises) and the clock ticking on time-to-market, pharma leaders are turning to agentic AI for measurable results. We believe advancing human knowledge accelerates every cure. As Andrej Karpathy says, “This is the decade of AI agents”. Over $2 billion has flowed into agentic AI startups since 2023. Explore the platforms leading the charge.
Best AI Agents for Pharmaceutical Companies in 2025
Why pharmaceutical leaders are turning to enterprise AI agents
R&D costs are soaring, regulatory scrutiny is tightening, and data is scattered across ELNs, LIMS, and Veeva. Enterprise AI agents unify knowledge, automate compliance, and cut admin work—delivering measurable productivity gains. PwC reports 66% of enterprises see such gains from AI agents.
Three reasons pharma is betting on enterprise AI agents:
- R&D acceleration and target discovery
- Automated regulatory submissions and compliance reporting
- Knowledge unification across silos
R&D acceleration and target discovery
Multi-agent systems now scan literature, patent filings, and omics data to propose novel targets in days, not weeks. IBM Watson achieved 99% accuracy in rare leukemia subtype recommendations.
Multi-agent system: Multiple AI agents collaborating to decompose and execute complex tasks autonomously.
“Global biotech used Sana Agents to reduce target triage from 4 weeks to 5 days.”
Automated regulatory submissions and compliance reporting
AI agents assemble eCTD packets, validate metadata, and cross-reference with 21 CFR Part 11 audit trails. Automated IND/NDA orchestration is the top pain point solved by agentic AI in pharma.
Submission types AI agents can handle:
- IND (Investigational New Drug)
- NDA (New Drug Application)
- IMPD (Investigational Medicinal Product Dossier)
- CSR (Clinical Study Report)
Knowledge unification across silos
Agents federate data from ELN/LIMS, clinical trial management, and pharmacovigilance systems. 46% of executives fear falling behind due to siloed knowledge.
Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG): Method that grounds LLM outputs in proprietary data for factual accuracy.
How to evaluate AI agents for pharma-grade compliance
A 3-step evaluation framework: validation, security, and integration.
GxP and 21 CFR Part 11 validation checklist
| Required Documentation | Description |
| IQ/OQ/PQ | Installation, Operational, Performance Qualification |
| Traceability Matrix | Maps requirements to validation evidence |
| Electronic Records Policy | Ensures compliance with 21 CFR Part 11 |
| Audit Trail | Immutable logs for all agent actions |
| Validation Plan & Report | Outlines scope, approach, and results |
Download a GxP validation template (PDF) from your vendor’s trust center.
McKinsey forecasts multi-agent compliance adoption will double from 2025–2027.
Security and data-privacy standards (ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR)
- Encryption at rest and in transit
- Role-based access control (RBAC)
- Data residency options (EU/US)
- Immutable audit logs
Sana Agents is ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II ready. 57% of enterprises report cost savings from AI agents.
Integration depth with Veeva, SAP, ELN/LIMS
Check for native connectors (Veeva Vault, SAP, Dotmatics, Benchling, LabWare) vs. custom APIs.
| Platform | Veeva | SAP | ELN/LIMS | Permission Mirroring |
| Sana Agents | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| AI21 Maestro | ✕ | ✔️ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Microsoft Copilot | ✕ | ✔️ | ✕ | ✔️ |
| Salesforce Agentforce | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| SAP Joule | ✕ | ✔️ | ✕ | ✕ |
| OpenAI Operator | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Anthropic Claude | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
Sana offers 100+ connectors and mirrors existing permissions for secure, compliant workflows.
The best AI agents for pharmaceutical companies
Evaluation based on compliance features, integration breadth, and customer reviews.
Sana Agents – no-code, data-grounded, pharma-validated
Description:
Sana Agents is a no-code, enterprise-grade AI agent platform built for pharma. It features a drag-and-drop workflow builder, retrieval-augmented generation on secure vector stores, and built-in GxP logging for auditability. Every answer is grounded in your proprietary data, with full audit trails and role-based access. Sana’s 100+ native connectors enable seamless integration with Veeva, SAP, ELN/LIMS, and more.
Standout features:
- Drag-and-drop workflow builder for rapid deployment
- RAG on secure vector stores for factual accuracy
- Built-in GxP logging and audit trails
- 100+ native connectors, permission mirroring, zero data retention
- ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR-ready; deployable on-prem, cloud, or hybrid
Best for:
Pharma companies seeking end-to-end compliance, rapid deployment, and unified knowledge across R&D and regulatory.
Limitations:
No significant limitations cited in current sources.
Metric:
34x ROI from more efficient workflows, 95% weekly user retention, and 70% time saved in compliance reporting (Chief Compliance & Organization Officer, public renewable energy company) .
CTA:
Book a custom introduction to Sana Agents → https://sanalabs.com/agent/book-intro
AI21 Maestro
Description:
AI21 Maestro offers API-centric orchestration and strong multilingual support, making it a flexible choice for global teams. Its modular design enables custom agent pipelines, but pharma-specific validations are limited.
Standout features:
- API-first orchestration
- Multilingual LLM support
- Modular agent pipelines
Best for:
Multinational teams needing language flexibility and custom workflows.
Limitations:
Limited pharma-specific compliance features; validation and audit trails must be custom-built.
Metric:
“Adopted by leading global research organizations for multilingual document processing.”
CTA:
Learn more about AI21 Maestro
Microsoft Copilot Agents for Dynamics and Azure
Description:
Microsoft Copilot Agents integrate deeply with Dynamics, Azure, and Microsoft 365, automating document drafting, regulatory reporting, and knowledge search. Governance is managed via Microsoft Purview.
Standout features:
- Deep Microsoft stack integration
- Automated document and report generation
- Microsoft Purview for compliance
Best for:
Cross-suite Microsoft shops with existing Dynamics and Azure investments.
Limitations:
Interoperability risks outside the Microsoft ecosystem; limited pharma-native connectors [5].
Metric:
“Users complete regulatory tasks 29% faster.”
CTA:
Learn more about Microsoft Copilot
Salesforce Agentforce
Description
Salesforce Agentforce powers customer-facing workflows in pharma, including KOL engagement, med-info ticketing, and CRM integration. It leverages Salesforce’s robust platform for compliant communications.
Standout features:
- Automated KOL engagement and med-info ticketing
- Seamless CRM integration
- Prebuilt pharma workflows
Best for:
Pharma commercial teams focused on HCP and patient engagement.
Limitations:
Limited integration with R&D and regulatory systems; focused on commercial use cases.
Metric:
“Improved HCP response times by 18% in pilot deployments.”
CTA:
Learn more about Salesforce Agentforce
SAP Joule Agents
Description:
SAP Joule Agents deliver 1,300+ prebuilt skills for procurement, compliance, and supply chain, with deep SAP integration. They automate routine GxP and procurement tasks for pharma operations.
Standout features:
- 1,300+ prebuilt procurement and compliance skills
- Deep SAP integration
- Automated GxP workflows
Best for:
Pharma operations teams optimizing procurement and compliance.
Limitations:
Limited R&D and clinical integrations; best for SAP-centric organizations.
Metric:
“Reduced procurement cycle times by 22% in pharma operations.”
CTA:
Learn more about SAP Joule Agents
OpenAI Operator
Description:
OpenAI Operator enables browser automation and literature review with GPT-4o, supporting rapid prototyping and data extraction. Security for proprietary data remains a concern for regulated industries.
Standout features:
- Browser automation with GPT-4o
- Rapid literature review and data extraction
- Flexible API integration
Best for:
R&D teams needing rapid prototyping and literature review.
Limitations:
Security and compliance for proprietary pharma data must be managed externally.
Metric:
“Accelerated literature review cycles by 35% in pilot studies.”
CTA:
Learn more about OpenAI Operator
Anthropic Claude 3.5
Description:
Anthropic Claude 3.5 offers advanced reasoning, a large context window, and a SOC 2 compliance roadmap. It excels at explainable AI and long-document analysis for scientific teams.
Standout features:
- Advanced reasoning and explainability
- Large context window for long documents
- SOC 2 compliance roadmap
Best for:
Scientific teams requiring explainability and long-document analysis.
Limitations:
Still maturing in pharma-specific integrations and auditability.
Metric:
“Handled 100+ page clinical trial protocols in a single prompt.”
CTA:
Learn more about Anthropic Claude
From pilot to production: implementation best practices
Start small, scale fast.
Run a 4-week proof of value with real regulatory data
- Week 1: Scope use case, anonymize data, define KPIs
- Week 2: Ingest data, configure connectors, validate permissions
- Week 3: Run agent workflows, collect feedback, document outputs
- Week 4: Executive readout, ROI analysis, go/no-go decision
Anonymizing datasets accelerates legal sign-off and protects IP.
Change-management tactics for scientific and quality teams
Form an “AI champion network” of scientists and QA leads.
Empower early adopters to unlock full potential.
Host weekly office hours and share quick wins to drive adoption.
Frequently asked questions
How do AI agents streamline IND/NDA and eCTD submissions?
AI agents automatically compile module data, validate metadata, and generate compliant eCTD packages, cutting preparation time by up to 40%.
What security and validation steps ensure GxP compliance?
Leading platforms encrypt data end-to-end, maintain audit trails, and provide IQ/OQ/PQ scripts aligned with 21 CFR Part 11 guidelines.
Can AI agents integrate with ELN/LIMS and Veeva Vault out of the box?
Yes; top agents offer native connectors or REST APIs that sync records, permissions, and version histories in minutes.
What ROI can pharma companies expect within the first year?
Companies typically see 10–20x ROI through faster submissions, reclaimed FTE hours, and reduced compliance errors.