Ontada, the oncology and insights business of McKesson, has announced a strategic partnership with Merck (MSD outside the US and Canada), geared toward the development of real-world research and solutions for cancer care. The agreement reportedly enables the two firms to use real-world evidence (RWE) to generate solutions that improve patient outcomes and the quality of oncological care.
Ontada president Susan Shiff said the company brings to the table a history of community oncology experience.
“With data insights from greater than 2m records available for research and more than 2,000 oncology providers, Ontada helps life sciences companies like Merck leverage real-world data (RWD) and evidence-based insights at the point of care to accelerate innovation and improve cancer therapy,” Shiff remarked.
Merck and Ontada reportedly plan to collaborate on RWD studies, with the intent of exploring new scientific evidence, developing advanced methods, and assessing of efficiency in cancer care.
“Merck is focused on bringing excellence to RWE generation by advancing methods and applying rigorous methods to gain RWD-based insights,” said Ravinder Dhawan, vice president and head of the Center for Observational and Real-World Evidence (CORE) of Merck Research Laboratories. “We look forward to working with Ontada on our shared purpose of improving the lives of patients with cancer.”
Marcus Neubauer, chief medical officer of the US Oncology Network, said when organizations like Merck and Ontada work together to come up with research and care solutions, patients reap the benefits.
“RWD study results build on the body of evidence that oncology providers use for treatment decision making, which leads to improvements in patient outcomes,” Neubauer commented.
Ontada works to combine RWD and research capabilities, targeted channels to connect life sciences and providers for education and engagement, technologies suited to oncology clinicians. The company’s offerings in this sphere include iKnowMed electronic health record system and Clear Value Plus regimen support.
