AstraZeneca to enter into European evidence collaboration

AstraZeneca has entered into a three-year collaboration agreement with healthcare information and technology provider IMS Health.

The collaboration will see both companies boost the use of real-world evidence throughout Europe in order to improve the delivery and efficacy of cost-efficient healthcare. AstraZeneca already have a similar partnership effective in the US – a data and research collaboration with WellPoint subsidiary HealthCore.

As part of the partnership, AstraZeneca will receive access to pre-existing electronic healthcare records, with patient details remaining anonymous, including clinical outcome, economic and treatment pattern data. The information will allow the company to identify unmet needs by detailing how current medicines are working in real-world settings across the European market.

AstraZeneca hopes to use the data across its discovery and clinical development programmes, with an emphasis on chronic illnesses. AstraZeneca research and development president Martin Mackay said: “This insight will help us and our healthcare decision-makers to improve the treatment of disease and ensure effective use of medicines to minimise the burden on individuals and healthcare budgets.”