PLAYA VISTA, Calif. & ROCKVILLE, Md.
Science 37, a trailblazing company focused on “site-less” clinical trials, and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC), announce today a strategic collaboration to support efforts to further digitize Otsuka’s mobile clinical study protocols with a strong focus on psychiatry and behavioral health. The collaboration follows an investment in Science 37 by Otsuka as a minority shareholder as part of the final close of a $35M Series C investment round earlier this year.
“Otsuka is dedicated to promoting innovation in clinical trials as a means of expanding the diversity of patients enrolled in studies, as well as bringing new products to market faster,” said William H. Carson, MD, president and CEO of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization. “This collaboration with Science 37 is also the latest example of our commitment to leading in digital medicine and identifying new ways that technology can help transform the lives of patients.”
The collaboration between the two companies will be conducted in successive phases and will develop effective ways to select, test, and manage innovative, patient-centric clinical studies to further the development of Otsuka products through a customized approach using the Science 37 platform.
Science 37’s proprietary, cloud-based mobile research platform, the Network Oriented Research Assistant (NORA), enables end-to-end remote clinical trials and adheres to the highest industry quality and regulatory standards. Unlike other mobile health technology companies in the space, Science 37’s Metasite™ model helps researchers engage directly with trial participants through every stage of planning, from screening and recruitment to data lock. This direct connection online allows for greater retention of patients, increased diversity across trials, and significantly faster recruitment.
“Our ecosystem of telemedicine technology, decentralized physician networks and in-house experienced clinical study staff has us uniquely positioned to take on new and exciting research studies,” said Noah Craft, MD, PhD, and co-founder and CEO of Science 37. “We always aim to align ourselves with companies who embrace ‘radical collaboration’ in science, so we are excited to collaborate with a company as committed to innovation in digital medicine as Otsuka.”
For people interested in joining or supporting the Science 37 community, as well as partners and clinicians interested in learning more about Science 37’s industry impact and unique approach to clinical trials, please visit the Services page of the company website.
About Science 37
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Science 37 is a technology-enabled clinical research company built by a team of doctors, scientists, and technologists whose mission is to accelerate biomedical research by putting patients first. They are revolutionizing clinical research with a decentralized operating model – the Metasite™ – which connects all people to science. Network Orientated Research Assistant (NORA®) is their cloud-based, patient-centric mobile platform that safely and securely supports end-to-end clinical trial services from recruitment to complete “site-less” trial execution. Researchers can find the right patients and patients can find the right trials, resulting in more access for everyone. By removing geographic limitations, Science 37 has demonstrated greater participant diversity and increased clinical trial efficiency and speed. Ultimately, Science 37 enables higher quality, people-powered science to advance digital health innovation. Learn more at http://science37.com, and follow Science 37 on Twitter @Science_37.
About Otsuka Pharmaceutical
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company is a global healthcare company with the corporate philosophy: “Otsuka–people creating new products for better health worldwide.” Otsuka researches, develops, manufactures and markets innovative products, with a focus on pharmaceutical products to meet unmet medical needs and nutraceutical products for the maintenance of everyday health.
In pharmaceuticals, Otsuka is a leader in the challenging area of mental health and also has research programs on several under-addressed diseases including tuberculosis, a significant global public health issue. These commitments illustrate how Otsuka is a “big venture” company at heart, applying a youthful spirit of creativity in everything it does.
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) is dedicated to clinical development of promising drug candidates in mental health, oncology, cardio-renal, and nephrology. Other activities include strategic planning for drug approval, marketing, and lifecycle management to maximize a product’s full potential.
OPDC is an indirect subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The Otsuka group of companies employed 45,000 people worldwide and had consolidated sales of approximately USD 11 billion in 2016.
All Otsuka stories start by taking the road less travelled. Learn more about Otsuka in the U.S. at www.otsuka-us.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter at @OtsukaUS. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.’s global website is accessible at www.otsuka.co.jp/en/.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171205005471/en/
CONTACT
Otsuka
Melanie Deck, 1-609-535-9032
melanie.deck-cw@otsuka-us.com
or
Science
37
Kat Eller Murray
pr@science37.com
