ConcertAI, a healthcare data science and AI company that focuses on oncology, is expanding its partnership with Janssen Research & Development to improve study design and diversify clinical trials.

The company, formerly known as Concerto HealthAI, said the collaboration will allow it to expand its data sources, move into disease states at earlier stages and provide more access to new therapies through clinical trials.

"ConcertAI's novel working model integrates the largest and deepest clinical and genomic data, enterprise AI, and will partner with Janssen and the world's leading data scientists and research scientists to generate evidence in support of critical disease insights and regulatory decisions," Jeff Elton, PhD, CEO of ConcertAI, said in a statement.

 "We are proud to collaborate with Janssen to drive effective medicines for the benefit of patients with the highest unmet medical needs."

WHY IT MATTERS

In 2020, 75% of the participants in clinical trials for 53 approved novel drugs were white, according to the FDA’s yearly Drug Trials Snapshots report. Only 8% were Black or African-American, despite making up more than 13% of the U.S. population, according to the Census Bureau.

Diversity in clinical trials is important because it allows researchers to see how a treatment will affect different population groups, both in effectiveness and possible side effects.

"Cultural, ethical, regulatory and financial concerns serve as significant barriers to progress,"  Chris Boone, vice president, Global Head of Health Economics and Outcomes Research at Abbvie, said during a presentation at HIMSS21. "At the center is a lack of trust."

THE LARGER TREND

ConcertAI has partnered with several drugmakers and major players in the clinical research space.

In June, the company announced a five-year research program with the FDA to study outcomes and safety during cancer treatment. 

"As a part of the FDA's Real-World Evidence Program, the agency has multiple work streams and collaborations aiming to inform the potential utility of RWE in therapeutic development and regulatory decision making,” Qi Liu, PhD, senior science advisor, office of clinical pharmacology at the FDA, said in a statement.

“Our collaboration with ConcertAI can enable us to explore and evaluate the reliability of new methods, and identify relevant use cases, and ultimately advance the knowledge for all involved stakeholders."

ConcertAI originally entered into its partnership with Janssen in early 2020. It has also worked with Novartis, Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

In early 2020, ConcertAI closed $150 million in aggregate Series B funding.