Home / Clinical Trials & Drug Development
Clinical Trials & Drug Development
Smarter clinical trials, powered by 20+ years of machine learning.
Get the right patients, sooner.
DDN partners with pharmaceutical, biotech and consumer health sponsors, and the CROs that support them, to apply machine learning and data intelligence from early drug development through to real-world evidence.
Our team has worked with many of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, so we understand what every programme needs: the right participants, sooner, with clearer evidence at every stage.
Experience across every major global pharma company
Pfizer
AstraZeneca
GSK
Novartis
Roche
Sanofi
Johnson & Johnson
MSD
Novo Nordisk
Eli Lilly
AbbVie
Bayer
Bristol Myers Squibb
Boehringer Ingelheim
Amgen
Gilead
Merck KGaA
Regeneron
Vertex
Haleon
Reckitt
Kenvue
Sandoz
Hikma
Servier
Opella
Perrigo
The opportunity
Recruitment, retention and data quality decide how fast a medicine reaches patients.
Every development programme depends on finding eligible participants, keeping them engaged and turning complex study data into clear evidence.
Data can make every one of those steps faster.
DDN brings machine learning to each point of the journey, so sponsors can plan with confidence, reach the right participants sooner and see clearly what is happening across every site and every patient.
De-risking drug development
More data. More diverse patients. Less risk.
We de-risk the rollout of new medicines by capturing a far richer range of data points across a broader, more diverse set of patient populations. Trials run more efficiently, and sponsors see clearly how a medicine performs before it reaches the market.
Why it is more efficient
- Faster enrolmentWider eligible populations across more sites help you reach recruitment targets sooner.
- Earlier answersRicher data surfaces efficacy and safety signals sooner, supporting quicker go or no-go decisions.
- Fewer protocol amendmentsEligibility criteria are tested against real-world populations before the first patient is enrolled.
- Smarter use of budgetMachine learning directs monitoring and resources to the sites and patients that need them most.
Why it takes out risk
- Results that reflect real patientsDiversity across age, sex, ethnicity and genetics shows how a medicine performs in the people who will use it.
- Hidden signals found earlyMore data points help detect rare safety events and sub-group differences before they become late-stage surprises.
- Stronger submissionsRepresentative, well-documented data supports submissions as regulators place growing emphasis on diverse trial populations.
- Clear responder insightKnowing who responds, and why, reduces the risk of late-stage failure and sharpens the path to market.
Global delivery, 24/7 care
Global clinical infrastructure. Round-the-clock monitoring.
Efficient-cost centres worldwide
We run trials through efficient-cost centres across the Middle East, Asia, North America and Europe, each with the clinical infrastructure to recruit, test and collect samples locally.
- Clinical infrastructureTrained clinical teams and facilities ready for trial delivery.
- Testing and sample collectionLocal phlebotomy, laboratory testing and sample logistics.
- Efficient cost baseLower operating costs, with consistent processes across every centre.
24/7 patient monitoring
We build and provide the infrastructure to monitor every participant around the clock, from physiological to psychological change.
- Physiological signalsHeart rate, sleep, activity, blood pressure and more, through wearables and home testing.
- Psychological wellbeingMood, stress, sleep quality and cognition through simple app check-ins.
- Real-time alertsChanges are flagged to trial teams straight away, so they can act quickly.
- Better retentionParticipants feel supported between visits, which helps them stay in the study.
Drug development lifecycle
Intelligence from first molecule to real-world use.
- DiscoveryMine genomic, biomarker and published research data to prioritise targets and hypotheses.
- PreclinicalIntegrate complex experimental datasets to inform candidate selection.
- Phase IModel feasibility, refine eligibility criteria and organise early safety and pharmacokinetic data.
- Phase II and IIIPredictive recruitment, site selection, retention and risk-based monitoring at scale.
- Submission and launchAnalysis-ready data and launch intelligence across pharmacy and healthcare channels.
- Phase IV and real-world evidenceConnect real-world, patient-reported and wearable data for post-marketing insight.
Clinical trial services
What we deliver for sponsors and CROs
Choose a single service for one study, or combine them across a full development programme.
Protocol and feasibility modelling
Test eligibility criteria against real-world data to predict enrolment and reduce avoidable protocol amendments.
Site selection and performance
Rank sites on historic performance, patient populations and capacity, then track them live.
Patient identification and pre-screening
Use defined criteria and appropriate datasets to find likely eligible participants faster.
Recruitment and diversity
Model recruitment channels and reach representative populations across regions and communities.
Engagement and retention
Personalised participant communications, with early signals of likely drop-out so teams can act.
Decentralised and hybrid trials
Bring wearable, app and patient-reported data into one connected, analysable view.
Risk-based monitoring
Surface data anomalies and site risks early, so monitoring effort goes where it matters.
Biomarker and genomic stratification
Identify the sub-populations most likely to respond, using genomic, blood and biomarker data.
Advanced analytics and real-world evidence
Machine learning across longitudinal study and real-world data for clearer, faster insight.
Why sponsors choose DDN
Pharmaceutical experience. Machine-learning depth.
Pharmaceutical heritage
Our team has worked alongside leading pharmaceutical and consumer health companies across the US, UK and Europe.
20+ years of machine learning
Practical experience applying machine learning to complex, real-world data, long before today's AI wave.
Participant engagement expertise
Consumer intelligence that helps participants join, stay engaged and complete their studies.
Global reach, efficient delivery
Teams in London, Dublin, Turin, Dubai, New York, Orlando, California, Melbourne and India, delivering at pace and at efficient cost.
Built for regulated research
Privacy by design, with data handling aligned to GDPR, HIPAA, ICH GCP and each sponsor's own SOPs.
Flexible engagement
A single study, a full programme or an embedded analytics partnership, shaped around your pipeline.
Who we work with
Built for everyone who brings a new medicine to market.
How we engage
From first conversation to first data, quickly.
- Discovery callShare your programme, protocol and objectives under NDA.
- Data and feasibility reviewWe assess the data available and where machine learning will add the most value.
- Proposal and pilotA clear scope, timeline and cost, with an option to start on a focused pilot.
- Delivery and reportingOngoing analytics, dashboards and reporting aligned to your study milestones.
Questions
Good to know.
Do you replace our CRO?
No. We work alongside sponsors and CROs, adding machine-learning intelligence to your existing trial operations.
Which phases do you support?
From early discovery and Phase I through to Phase IV and real-world evidence.
Can we start with one study?
Yes. Many sponsors start with a single study or a focused pilot.
Can we discuss our programme under NDA?
Yes. We are happy to sign an NDA before any detailed discussion.
Healthcare & life sciences
Explore our other industries
Talk to DDN
Planning a trial or development programme?
Tell us about your compound, phase and timelines. Our clinical team will come back to you, under NDA if required.