Case Study: Takeda

Takeda: A global biopharmaceutical company with an AI-centred vision

Takeda, a global biopharmaceutical company with 243 years of history,  focusing on oncology, rare diseases, neuroscience, gastroenterology, plasma-derived therapies, and vaccines. Today, Takeda employs around 50,000 people in more than 80 countries and ranks as one of the top 20 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world by revenue. 

Takeda aims to discover and deliver life-changing treatments, focusing on patients, people, and the planet. This values-based approach drives their global growth and long-term value for stakeholders. To realise that vision, the client understood the value Generative AI (GenAI) can bring to their business and help them solve current challenges. One of these was the complexity of the firm’s ethics and compliance processes which had to fulfil current regulations, and also vary from country to country.

The Situation

The Pharma and Life Science industry is one of the most regulated industries in the world and Ethics and Compliance (E&C) are central to Takeda's operations. In some countries, for example in Spain alone, employees must follow over 100 standard operating procedures, making it a challenging task to stay compliant. This was complicated by the lack of a single source of information, which led to delays, system overloads, and a high risk of errors.  

Takeda set out to streamline procedure adherence, navigate policies efficiently, and maintain integrity.

Approach: AI Solutions for Today and Tomorrow

The client selected PwC Germany because of our strong technical experience, strategic partnership with Microsoft and PwC’s deep understanding of Takeda’s business needs. Working alongside Takeda, the team developed a GenAI chatbot assistant – TAK GPT – that would serve as the single source of truth for complex questions related to E&C. 

By leveraging Microsoft Azure for its robust, scalable capabilities, PwC Germany designed, tested and launched TAK GPT on a password protected website, making the tool available to those who needed it and ensuring company-wide compliance.

The selection of an RAG architecture was essential for initiating the project swiftly, integrating client-specific knowledge, and maintaining data reliability over time. Conducting workshops with experts and users facilitated the evaluation of progress, accuracy, and usability, thereby ensuring acceptance and achieving the anticipated objectives.

Added Value and Results: A More Compliant Company

TAK GPT has massively simplified the Standard Operating Procedures around E&C, providing a single source of truth with trustworthy responses, information sources and standardised answers to questions.  

The numbers have been impressive, too. Takeda has registered a 50% reduction in deviations, a 50% cut down in preparation time for commercial KPIs, and a 15% boost to E&C customer satisfaction.  

It’s not only been in E&C that the team has added value, though. By integrating GenAI solutions into the daily running of a company, PwC Germany has shown how the technology can create business value moving forward.  

So, as Takeda looks to its future, the integration of AI into their processes and functions will help to accelerate science and clinical trials, discover molecules faster and reduce development time. It will transform the practice of medicine, opening the door to a future where AI generates value – and changes lives.