AI-powered innovation set to reshape the future of clinical trial industry

China's clinical trial industry, now ranked as the world's second-largest, has put increased emphasis on artificial intelligence-driven solutions. Over the next five years, AI will revolutionize clinical trials by being integrated across all stages of new drug development, which will drastically improve productivity, and significantly reduce trial duration and failure rates, according to Anthony Costello, CEO of Medidata, a digital solutions provider in the life sciences industry.

AI is also rapidly expanding across Asia's drug development pipeline. China is leading with more than 100 AI-enabled pharma companies and significant investment, fueled by the country's supportive "AI+Health" policies, Costello said.

Driving better outcomes

Data show that the trials initiated by China have grown from 3 to 28 percent in a decade. Digital solutions, particularly electronic data collection, are now near-universal in China. The transformation driven by electronic data and cloud-based tools has showcased its effects. In the near future, AI will take the lead to deliver a profound transformation in life sciences by fostering a patient-centric ecosystem, driving better health outcomes, and improving overall care, Costello said.

Since 2019, the company has leveraged AI and machine learning for predictive analytics and real-time data integration via solutions like Clinical Data Studio. And in 2025, powered by its AI capability, the company is promoting a transformative shift from a product-focused approach to an experience-driven one. The Medidata Experiences, focusing on the experiences of patients, studies and data, enables the clinical trial journey to be optimized for efficiency and effect, streamlining processes and enhancing collaboration.

By 2030, AI will transform patient engagement through long-term partnerships built on trust and transparency. Patients will willingly share vast healthcare data, assisted by sensors, wearables, AI predictive modeling and decentralized trials. This ecosystem of trust will enable more precise patient recruitment, real-time data analysis, and highly personalized drug development, leading to more therapy breakthroughs. This aligns with the Medidata Experiences by enhancing the patient journey through seamless, convenient participation and by optimizing the study and data experiences through intelligent insights and streamlined processes, Costello said.

At the close of 2024, Medidata introduced its "AI Everywhere" strategy, designed to seamlessly embed intelligence across the Medidata Platform. This allows sponsors and researchers to make smarter data-driven decisions by transforming massive clinical data volumes into practical insights, particularly in fields like immunology, neurology and oncology.

"Medidata's advanced platform is specifically designed to meet stringent international regulatory requirements. We integrate AI-powered analytical tools that predict risks, enhance data quality and significantly accelerate clinical trial speed and success rates," Costello said.

Collaborating with its parent company Dassault Systemes and leveraging the recent GEN-7 launch, Medidata is providing customers with a broader perspective for comprehensive digitalization across the entire life sciences life cycle. This includes using generative AI to create virtual twins for patients, therapies and hospitals, ultimately virtualizing the healthcare process and driving advancements in life sciences.

Together in China

Medidata has been accelerating the digitalization of clinical trials for more than 25 years. Leveraging its extensive clinical trial database and AI-driven insights, Medidata also empowers Chinese pharmaceutical and biotech companies in new drug development, enabling them to gain global recognition and deliver life-changing therapies. Its core expertise lies in the high-quality historical clinical trials data derived from more than 36,000 clinical trials involving 11 million patients. The company has helped transform clinical trials in China from initial paper-to-electronic conversions (Rave EDC) to enable decentralized trials.

To empower China's innovative drugs on the global stage, Medidata has shown its crucial competitive edge in compliance with global regulatory frameworks like the United States Food and Drug Administration, especially with today's increasing data volume and complexity. More than 70 percent of new drugs approved by the US FDA in 2024 utilized Medidata technology, which underscores its solutions' reliability and impact in navigating global drug development complexities. The company's solutions ensure continuous monitoring for anomalies and compliance, preventing delays and meeting rigorous international data quality standards.

"This year marks the 10th anniversary of Medidata China. We've been a reliable partner to our Chinese clients and aim to expand collaboration with authorities, sites, sponsors and contract research organizations across the industry. We have been exchanging practices, contributing to an intelligent ecosystem and supporting local innovations and global success, ultimately powering smarter treatment and healthier people in China and all around the world," Costello said.