The Veeva R&D and Quality Summit 2026 in Copenhagen focused on advancing the life sciences industry through standardization and AI integration.
This year's summit, held on May 28-29, emphasized the vision of creating a unified industry cloud aimed at improving patient outcomes. Veeva, a leader in providing cloud solutions for life sciences, serves a diverse clientele, including major pharmaceutical firms and emerging biotech companies. Senior VP Rik Van Mol highlighted the importance of collaboration and innovation in driving industry progress, advocating for a streamlined approach to R&D and quality management.
The summit introduced Veeva's commitment to AI-enabled solutions, with Jim Reilly, president of the Development Cloud, discussing the transformative potential of AI in biopharma. He presented Veeva's new MAAP architecture, which facilitates a synergistic relationship between models, agents, and applications, aiming to enhance productivity and efficiency. The introduction of Veeva Falcon, an agentic AI platform, aims to automate key processes in clinical, regulatory, and safety teams, with early adopters expected to access it by November 2026.
As organizations like Novartis and Sobi shared their experiences, the need to move away from legacy systems was underscored. Both companies recognized the value of having integrated, reliable data systems to support their operations. The discussions centered on how AI and agentic solutions can streamline workflows and improve overall quality, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes. This focus on AI and standardization signifies a pivotal shift in how the industry approaches drug development and quality assurance.