“Opyl is seeking to solve PR&WD points of trial failure by applying PA and AI”

A real world data is a boon to improve health and wellness. Optimising data assets through digital activation can advance healthcare technologies. Opyl, an Australian health data analytics company enables biopharma and health organisations to access emerging AIassisted technologies with its professional guidance to improve healthcare design, development and delivery. Leveraging social media, the team is assisting patients, healthcare providers and researchers in mining social media data insights (with informed consent) using AI applications. This has been particularly important during COVID-19, as Opyl noted a 188 per cent increase in pandemic-related clinical and research findings being discussed and shared by medical researchers on social media channels. In an interaction with BioSpectrum Asia, Michelle Gallaher, CEO of Opyl, Australia with expertise on healthcare marketing, data science and knowledge on social media health trends shared more professional guidance based on predictive analytics (PA) for improvised healthcare deliveries. Edited excerpts;

- Hithaishi C Bhaskar

How do you describe the predictive analytics relationship with pharmaceutical industry and in streamlining healthcare deliveries?

Wanting to know the future is a natural human endeavour, especially in healthcare. Investors, drug developers and patients all have an intense interest in knowing if a clinical trial will deliver a catalyst event; reach its primary endpoint; and deliver on its promise. Waiting ten years or more for a result demands patience and the fortitude to risk vast financial investments. However, what if we could predict the outcome of a clinical trial before it has even been launched. Predictive analytics (PA) and artificial intelligence (AI) is the evidence-based ‘crystal ball’ that is transforming health industries.

Michelle Gallaher, CEO, Opyl, Australia

Despite the increasing number of clinical trials registered annually, over the past 20 years the number of drugs and devices that make it to full registration stubbornly remains a fraction of their potential. Last year the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 48 new drugs from 318,901 registered clinical trials. The year before that, the FDA hit a record of 59 approved drugs.

Currently, oncology drugs only have a 3.4 per cent chance of successfully achieving registration, while in previous years the probability of success has been as low as 1.7 per cent. As each year passes, billions of dollars invested into research and development fail to deliver a return. Mistakes in the design of a drug or device trial are frustratingly common, usually reported as drug failure rather than poor expertise, regulatory micromanagement, or lax patient enrolment and follow up.