Mitsui & Co. to build Asian patient data network for drug discovery

Key facts

• Mitsui & Co. is creating an Asian medical data network to facilitate patient recruitment for clinical trials.
• The network aims to aggregate anonymized data from 1 million patients by 2028.
• Confidential computing technology will be used to ensure data privacy and security.
• NVIDIA and Fortanix are collaborating with Mitsui on this initiative.
• The project leverages AI and digital transformation to speed up drug discovery.

Mitsui & Co. is developing a pan-Asian medical data network to accelerate pharmaceutical research and development. The initiative aims to aggregate anonymized patient data from its network of hospitals across Asia, including IHH Healthcare in Malaysia, with a target of 1 million patient records by 2028. This data will be used to help global pharmaceutical companies more efficiently identify patients for clinical trials.

The project leverages advanced digital technologies, including AI and confidential computing, to address the challenge of data sharing in drug discovery. Xeureka, a subsidiary of Mitsui, is spearheading efforts in healthcare R&D, collaborating with technology partners such as NVIDIA and security software firm Fortanix. Confidential computing, a technology that processes data in a protected environment, is being employed to ensure the privacy of sensitive patient information and proprietary chemical formulas.

This effort aligns with broader initiatives like the National Cancer Center Japan's A-TRAIN study, an international collaborative project involving eight Asian countries. The A-TRAIN study aims to build and analyze a database of genomic profiles and clinical information for advanced cancers prevalent in Asia, with the goal of identifying new therapeutic targets and developing personalized treatments. The use of blood-based genomic analysis is a key component, offering a less invasive method for genetic testing and facilitating quality control.