In a bid to help enrol patients in eligible clinical trials, Belong.Life has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) cancer clinical trial matching platform.
Tara is a software as a service (SaaS) available to hospitals, health systems, and contract research organisations (CROs). The platform uses machine learning and natural language processing to connect patients to clinical trials based on eligibility and geographic location. Belong.Life claims the matcher can link patients to clinical trials within three days.
The matching software uses conversational AI technology to ascertain information from patients including diagnosis, cancer type, mutation, and treatment history. To help with building a profile for matching, Tara can even scan patient medical files too.
Though clinical trials are aplenty – there are nearly 18,000 trials listed on GlobalData’s database as ‘ongoing’ with sites in the North American region – patient recruitment remains an issue, owing to strict eligibility criteria. AI has been touted as a potential facilitator, as it can reduce costs and time for matching patients with trials.
Tara joins Belong.Life’s other conversational AI platform called Dave, launched in May 2023. Dave provides mentorship for cancer patients through their clinical journey with information and resources.
Whilst AI has the power to streamline patient accrual in clinical trials, an ever-present hurdle is guaranteeing patient data security. Cybersecurity in health has been under the spotlight this year, as the US Food and Drug Administration moves to tighten cybersecurity requirements in medical devices and software.
"Since our founding, Belong has provided clinical trial matching services to more than 30,000 patients," said Eliran Malki, CEO and co-founder of Belong.Life.
"Tara is a natural extension of our services, helping to optimise clinical trial matching to benefit stakeholders with increased patient recruitment, improved randomisation, and reduced costs and logistical challenges. Tara will enable more patients around the world to access clinical trials."
