Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) has embarked on a transformative collaboration with Paradigm, a groundbreaking startup focused on reimagining the clinical trial ecosystem. This partnership aims to pioneer the design of clinical studies that harness the potential of community health provider organizations as pivotal trial sites.
Paradigm, headquartered in New York and incubated by Arch Venture Partners, unveiled its ambitious mission earlier this year, making a resounding entry with a substantial $203 million in funding. Central to Paradigm’s vision is the belief that the current clinical trial system is plagued with shortcomings that hinder patient access to investigational therapies, impede the progress of drug development, and place undue burdens on study sites.
Paradigm’s innovative solution revolves around a platform meticulously crafted to alleviate the operational complexities inherent in clinical trials. By doing so, it aims to empower a more extensive cadre of physicians and healthcare provider organizations to actively participate in trials. The core idea is to extend trials to community-based locations, potentially broadening the pool of eligible participants and expediting the enrollment process.
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In an exciting development, BMS has become Paradigm’s inaugural publicly disclosed client. Together, these entities will collaborate to devise clinical trials that are tailored to align with the practical constraints faced by community health provider organizations. These organizations, which play a crucial role in caring for patients with conditions such as cancer, have often faced barriers when seeking involvement in clinical studies. Over the past year, Paradigm has been working closely with dozens of these organizations, offering support to facilitate their participation in trials.
Commencing with a focus on oncology, Paradigm and BMS intend to enhance patient recruitment efforts at these community-based sites. This strategic shift holds the potential to expedite enrollment and create study populations that more accurately represent the diverse demographics of the United States.
“Working with a leader like Bristol Myers Squibb helps scale equitable access for patients today. In the process, we aim to help Bristol Myers Squibb speed up recruitment, attract a more diverse patient population, reduce provider burden, and more rapidly complete trials to increase access to potentially helpful therapies in the future.”
– Paradigm CEO Kent Thoelke
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Paradigm boasts a leadership team with deep-rooted expertise in clinical trial operations and technology. Their collective experience spans across companies such as Flatiron Health, Science 37, and Syapse. Additionally, the board of directors includes luminaries like Arch’s Robert Nelsen and former Merck & Co. CEO Kenneth Frazier.
The collaboration between Bristol Myers Squibb and Paradigm signifies a significant stride toward revitalizing the clinical trial landscape, with a specific focus on community-based healthcare providers. The outcome promises not only to streamline the research process but also to enhance the representation of diverse patient populations in clinical studies. This venture aligns with the broader industry goal of ensuring equitable access to cutting-edge therapies.
