As ‘transformational’ as the internet: Alten adds blockchain initiative
The digital solutions and R&D service provider will provide customers with access to blockchain solutions through its BioPharma Ledger. BlockApps, part of the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance, an open source blockchain initiative, will supply the BioPharma Ledger platform with its BlockApps Strato middleware.
Nick Spring, life sciences partner, Alten Calsoft Labs, said in a statement, “Blockchain will introduce us all to a new age of transparency, privacy, and traceability in all aspects of the life sciences as we know them. It is as transformational to pharma, biotech, and medical devices today, as the internet was to communications 20 years ago.”
He added, “Blockchain has the power to fundamentally shift many core processes for drug research and development by increasing patient safety and privacy, improving quality of data, and significantly shortening the length of clinical trials.”
The first to use the new platform is Clinlogix, a global contract research organization (CRO), which will implement BioPharma Ledger into its real-world clinical trials.
Blockchain’s place in clinical research
Boehringer Ingelheim and IBM Canada entered a collaboration in February 2019 to test the capabilities of blockchain technology in clinical trial management. At the time, the companies stated that the use of blockchain in clinical trials was expected to improve validity as well as patient recruitment and retention.
Scientist.com also brought blockchain into the clinical research industry with its addition of DataSmart. The online marketplace’s platform uses proprietary technology to enable pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to provide supplier information and research data that remains untampered and unaltered.
Alpha Genesis and Certara have also tapped into ledger technology to employ blockchain platforms for clinical researchers.
