Medical Device Network

Further Group partners with cancer clinical trial matcher Massive Bio

Further Group will tap into Massive Bio’s AI-powered platform to enhance clinical trial matching for cancer patients.

Serious illness insurance solution provider Further Group has partnered with Massive Bio to increase patient access to clinical trials.

Massive Bio’s platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) to match patients to appropriate trials based on their cancer diagnosis.

According to Madrid, Spain-headquartered Further Group, the partnership will streamline the triage process and ensure more cancer patients can access potential treatments.

Further Group says it partners with insurers and employers to increase the accessibility of precision medicine and the world’s leading hospitals to patients who have cancer and other complex illnesses.

Patient selection and recruitment is an ever-present challenge for clinical trials. Historically, it is a time-consuming process and uses a lot of resources. The ability to integrate AI into the recruitment process can expedite the identification of suitable cohorts and alert patients to suitable trials.

A February 2022 report by Phesi found that 19% of 12,000 analysed clinical trial cancer sites enrolled just one patient.

In June 2023, the Precision Cancer Consortium comprising AstraZeneca, Bayer, Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen of Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, and Roche, selected Massive Bio to help identify potential cancer patients for clinical trials. The consortium stated it aims to make data-driven precision oncology the standard for helping accelerate treatment access for cancer patients.

There is also an increasing importance in increasing diversity and inclusion in clinical trials. Racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented in clinical research, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is encouraging sponsors to take proactive measures to ensure equitable patient participation.

Massive Bio’s chief financial officer Toygun Onaran said: “Our partnership with Further Group is a significant milestone in our shared mission to make cancer care accessible worldwide. We are excited to leverage our AI technology to identify optimal clinical trial options, ensuring personalised treatments for patients globally.”