Artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics leader SAS, and Thread, have introduced a new offering together to support biopharma companies with data preparation, assessment, and submission.

With the new offering, the companies will be able to modernise their clinical research using a simple and cost-effective method.

It integrates the comprehensive, cloud-native analytics of SAS with the decentralised clinical trial (DCT) and electronic clinical outcome assessment (eCOA) platform of Thread.

SAS’ Statistical Computing Environment (SCE) solution will initially be integrated with Thread’s technology platform, providing access to data, analysis, and visualisation for shared customers.

This integration will allow SAS and Thread to build on their initial partnership and expand into DCT-specific analytics by combining the data elements, captured by Thread, with SAS AI, visualisation, and machine learning.

Featuring a consolidated analytics environment, the regulatory compliance-enabled solution gathers data from various sources, including participant and clinician-reported data provided by Thread.

In addition, Thread’s data can be surfaced within customer-specific SAS analytical environments for larger pharmaceutical companies.

Thread co-founder and CEO John Reites said: “To meet the evolving needs of clinical trial participants in the age of digital health, research organisations are transforming the way they discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialise new therapies.

“We are excited to partner with SAS to provide this unique solution to biopharma customers who want to collect data via next-generation research designs.”

In March this year, Thread, along with United BioSource (UBC), launched the next-generation, post-approval research model, SitePlus.