	Saama Technologies, Inc., a clinical data analytics company, announced a collaboration with researchers at the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (Tufts CSDD) at Tufts University School of Medicine to ascertain how biopharmaceutical companies optimize automation and information technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) such as machine learning and neural networks, to support the research and development (R&D) of new therapeutics.

	The research will examine what areas of the R&D continuum the life sciences industry sees as most easily automated, and where these innovations are being applied. In addition, the research will examine where applications of technology solutions have the most impact, assess how contract research organizations (CROs) support the adoption of these innovations, and identify areas of greatest concern and challenge.

	“The clinical development process is being transformed by information technology, especially AI-powered data analytics solutions,” said Sagar Anisingaraju, Chief Strategy Officer at Saama Technologies. “Saama has embarked on this collaboration with researchers at Tufts CSDD to further inform our mission of empowering life science companies to bring better drugs to market faster, and ensure that we offer our biopharma partners optimal awareness and understanding of their technology needs as they implement their digital transformation programs.”

	“We will be assessing how innovative technology solutions are being applied in drug development,” said Ken Getz, Director of Sponsored Research at Tufts CSDD. “We know that companies have been piloting select solutions, but the level of adoption of automation and IT, and its impact, has not been benchmarked.”

	The work will get underway this fall and will entail both an industry roundtable, comprising participants from leading life science organizations, and a global, industry-wide survey.

	For more information, visit www.saama.com