According to the companies, enabling privacy-protected data connectivity at scale can reduce operational friction across the research lifecycle, from clinical trials through observational and post-market studies.
“Data interoperability is critical to the next generation of evidence generation,” said Karen Kaucic, MD, president, patient and advisory services, and chief medical officer, clinical research, Thermo Fisher Scientific, in a company statement. “By enabling privacy-protected data connectivity at scale, this collaboration allows us to deliver a more seamless and efficient research experience for our customers.”
By combining Datavant’s tokenization technology with Thermo Fisher’s clinical research infrastructure and therapeutic expertise, the partners aim to bring richer, more connected patient datasets into the research process while maintaining compliance and data protection safeguards.
“This collaboration with Thermo Fisher underscores Datavant’s role in enabling secure, privacy-preserving data connectivity at scale,” said Arnaub Chatterjee, GM and president of life sciences at Datavant, in the statement.
Krishna Cheriath, vice president and head of digital and artificial intelligence (AI), biopharma services at Thermo Fisher Scientific, described the agreement as part of the company’s broader digital transformation strategy.
“By integrating Datavant’s capabilities with Thermo Fisher’s data, digital and AI capabilities, we can help our customers accelerate insights and ultimately improve patient outcomes,” he said.
New partnership with Datavant builds on recent OpenAI deal
The collaboration further strengthens Thermo Fisher’s position in RWE, registry, and observational study services, complementing ongoing investments in digital tools designed to modernize how data and AI are applied across drug development.
These investments include a recent collaboration with OpenAI.2
Last year, Thermo Fisher integrated OpenAI APIs into its Accelerator Drug Development platform and broader operations. The company highlighted the integration as a component of its strategy to embed AI across product development, service delivery, customer engagement, and operational efficiency.
Within the PPD clinical research business, OpenAI capabilities are being applied with the goal of shortening clinical trial timelines and improving development decision-making. The integration also includes efforts to leverage AI to identify therapies less likely to succeed earlier in development, enabling sponsors to reallocate resources toward higher-potential candidates.
In August 2025, Applied Clinical Trials spoke with Thermo Fisher’s Luke Wilson, senior director, biotech, pharma services, to discuss the importance of real-time data visibility in clinical trials. During the conversation, he highlighted the role integrated systems play in helping sponsors stay inspection-ready and meet evolving regulatory expectations.
“The market is changing rapidly in front of us. If you think about how data is captured—how data is managed within certain regions and even therapeutic areas—it’s really important that we remove some of those silos to enable data to be captured and logged in an appropriate way that then can be provided to the sponsor,” Wilson said.
References
1. Thermo Fisher Scientific Expands Real-World Data Interoperability and Linkage Through Strategic Collaboration with Datavant. News release. Thermo Fisher. February 11, 2026. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211147765/en/Thermo-Fisher-Scientific-Expands-Real-World-Data-Interoperability-and-Linkage-Through-Strategic-Collaboration-with-Datavant
2. Thermo Fisher, Lundbeck Announce New OpenAI Partnerships Advancing AI in Drug Development. Applied Clinical Trials. October 28, 2025. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://www.appliedclinicaltrialsonline.com/view/thermo-fisher-lundbeck-announce-new-openai-partnerships-advancing-ai-drug-development
