“Time is our most valuable resource,” said Laura Sedita Alaimo, PharmD, Field Alignment Director of Rare Disorders at Novo Nordisk. For rare disease patients, this couldn’t be more true. 

In healthcare, there always seems to be a race against time. But for some patients, it takes years of searching for the answers to even get to a diagnosis. On average, people with rare diseases wait about four years and visit multiple healthcare providers before putting a name to their disease. To reduce the disease burden for those suffering with rare disease, Life Sciences teams are tapping into the power of artificial intelligence (AI). AI gives the healthcare industry an opportunity to redefine the way we diagnose and treat rare diseases by analyzing patient interactions with the healthcare system across the country.  

During Komodo Health’s One Day Summit, we hosted a discussion among Laura, Steve Davenport, Senior Director of Commercial Data Strategy & Management at Takeda, and Igor Rudychev, PhD, President of PMSA and Life Sciences leader with over 30 years of experience in data and analytics. We explored how Life Sciences companies are deploying AI technology built on unique data across their organizations to drive and accelerate the diagnosis, awareness, and treatment of the more than 25 million Americans living with a rare disease. Below are some of the key learnings from our discussion.

It’s Time To Improve Internal Operations
The healthcare industry is held back by antiquated practices. Unlike most industries, healthcare, on the whole, is not taking full advantage of new technologies. The Life Sciences teams and providers who are willing to break from the status quo are getting to patients faster with life-saving treatments by using a full-stack or all-in-one platform and healthcare data to drive discovery and inform decision-making. 

To better serve patients, companies across all sectors of healthcare must prioritize optimizing internal operations. Embedding a comprehensive tech stack across all functions, including Commercial, Medical Affairs, and Data and Analytics, will eliminate manual processes, break down silos, decrease cost redundancies, and get to insights faster — while also increasing time spent partnering with providers and engaging patients. 

Let the Data Speak for Itself
While it’s easy to try and mold the data to fit a hypothesis, it’s critical that we let it speak for itself. Using real-world evidence (RWE), especially while working in the rare disease space, can unlock insights that otherwise might have gone unnoticed. By running predictive AI and machine-learning models, Life Sciences teams can pinpoint trends within the rare disease space and bridge gaps in patient care. 

“It’s all about the training data and exploring connections to the data that you may not know exist in the world,” Steve said. 

Because of the relatively small patient populations in rare disease, even the slightest trends  could lead to the next big discovery. With a patient-centered approach, tapping into the networks of patient journeys unveils patterns that allow for earlier detection and more targeted therapies, ultimately resulting in better outcomes for patients. 

A Patient Foundation of Insights Is Essential To Meet Patient Needs 
To engage patients and improve outcomes, Life Sciences teams are taking this approach to developing and delivering treatments. Teams at Novo Nordisk use AI and data analytics to better understand patient challenges in accessing quality healthcare. 

“It’s never just about developing a treatment and bringing another molecule to the market,” Laura said. 

Industry leaders are recognizing the impact of social determinants of health on the patient journey. Whether patient access to care is stifled by economic status, lack of information, or location, AI can help Life Sciences companies easily identify communities with unmet needs. For example, some teams are using RWE to find rural pockets across the U.S. that lack clinical funding, then deploying a targeted strategy to connect with providers who can meet patients where they are and get treatments into the hands of those who need them most. 

One Day: A Better Experience for Patients With Rare Diseases
There is more work to be done to reduce the burden of rare diseases on patients around the world. At Komodo, we are continually inspired by the progress we’ve made thus far to not only leverage AI, but to push the boundaries of technology to improve outcomes for patients. With leadership from folks like Laura, Steve, and Igor, we’re primed for even greater impact in the future. 

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