IgniteData partners with Astrazeneca to improve clinical trial data

Digital health start-up IgniteData is collaborating with AstraZeneca on a programme designed to improve the way clinical trials are conducted in hospital settings.

The companies will work together on a technical proof of concept and pilot programme using IgniteData’s digital health application Archer, which is designed to enhance interoperability between electronic health records (EHR) and key research applications such as electronic data capture (EDC).

Archer is described as a ‘Virtual Research Assistant’ that is designed to automate the flow of regulatory data and includes a reduced need for manual data entry, monitoring queries and the associated Source Data Verification.

The project aims to transform how eSource-ready hospitals and pharmaceutical sponsors collect clinical trial data. The collaboration will use IgniteData’s platform to mirror the traditional, manual data process, so that a head-to-head comparison of methodologies is available. Using Archer, hospitals will retain full control of the data transfer process.

Dan Hydes, CEO and co-founder of IgniteData said: “We’ve committed every penny of investment to create a transformational application to address one of the longest standing challenges of clinical research globally. This makes the team at IgniteData very proud. From the outset, we designed our model to protect patients and their data, while keeping the hospital in full control, thereby facilitating the automated flow of true regulatory-grade data for the first time. These are just the first steps on a much longer journey to solve this industry-wide problem, and we’re glad to be starting it in the company of AstraZeneca.”

Mats Sundgren, Health Informatics director, R&D, AstraZeneca says, “Nearly 50% of data used for clinical trials is duplicated across EHRs and EDCs, wasting a huge amount of time and staff resources. If successful, this project has the potential to fundamentally improve the delivery of clinical trials in hospital settings,that ultimately could lead to industry wide transformational change. ”