The Keck School of Medicine of USC has joined the Ryght Research Network, a global network of academic institutions, community practices and health care systems that uses generative artificial intelligence to make clinical trials more efficient. As the network’s first academic site in the United States, the Keck School of Medicine will leverage the collaboration to offer more clinical trials to more patients and to build new AI tools that safely speed up the process of developing medical treatments.
Ryght AI’s network and tools address a series of challenges that currently plague the clinical trials process. Complex protocols, staff burnout and other inefficiencies often prevent or delay life-saving therapies from reaching patients. By automating key tasks and facilitating better communication, Ryght and USC aspire to change that.
“We aim to transform clinical trial operations through AI. By streamlining site selection, feasibility and patient referrals, the Ryght Research Network will allow us to focus more on advancing patient care and less on administrative burden while running the trials that are most likely to succeed,” said David Friedland, MD, PhD, associate dean for clinical research and director of clinical artificial intelligence applications at the Keck School of Medicine.
“This collaboration enables USC to be at the forefront of innovative, efficient research, helping to bring therapies to patients faster and supporting our mission to improve global health outcomes,” Friedland said.
The alliance between the medical school and Ryght AI was brokered by MESH Strategic Partnerships, a specialized service that builds and sustains relationships between the Keck School of Medicine and industry groups. In addition to streamlining the process of conducting clinical trials, the Ryght Research Network will connect USC researchers with new clinical trial and sponsorship opportunities. It will also provide patients and health care providers with a user-friendly portal for exploring available clinical trials. Down the line, the Keck School of Medicine will even have the chance to develop customized AI-driven tools that suit the needs of its patients, providers and investigators.
“We are thrilled to welcome USC to the Ryght Research Network,” said Chadi Nabhan, MD, MBA, chief medical officer and head of strategy at Ryght AI. “We share the same vision with the Keck School of Medicine in aiming to advance clinical research by expediting trial processes to improve the outcomes of all patients affected by cancer. Leveraging AI technology and innovation can help us accomplish that in a timely manner.”
Boosting new and existing trials
The first phase of the collaboration will focus on optimizing cancer clinical trials that are already underway at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. But Ryght AI’s technology can be used with a range of medical specialties, diseases and clinical trial types, and will soon be integrated more broadly into the Keck School of Medicine ecosystem.
“What’s powerful about the Ryght platform is that it can apply to essentially any clinical trial and disease process,” Friedland said.
For clinical trials that have already launched, Ryght AI’s tools can help coordinators manage complex protocols—including screening patients, gaining informed consent, administering treatment, collecting data and monitoring patient safety—while minimizing errors.
The research network also allows USC to add new clinical trials to its roster. Ryght AI’s technology can quickly assess whether the medical school has the appropriate patient population and clinical personnel to conduct a given trial, then connect USC with sponsors (for example, pharmaceutical and medical device companies) to get new research underway.
“This brings USC into a network of sponsors and clinical research organizations, so we can be offered more clinical trials, which we can then offer to our patients for many different disorders and diseases,” Friedland said.
Finally, the network’s user-friendly portal will help patients and their providers explore trials patients may qualify for through an AI-driven chat interface.
How patients benefit
When clinical trial efficiency improves, patients benefit right away. With its increased capacity, the medical school can accommodate more clinical trials, enroll more patients in each trial, and diversify the range of trials it offers. Accelerating trials also helps patients in the long term—treatments can reach the market sooner, making them available to a broader population.
In addition to using the suite of AI tools already available, researchers will have the opportunity to work with Ryght AI to jointly develop new products tailored to their needs.
USC and Ryght AI are dedicated to the responsible use of AI, including leveraging these tools to reach a diverse group of patients who have been traditionally excluded from clinical trials.
“There are always humans in the loop as part of these processes to ensure that the benefits are distributed equitably, the technology is applied without bias, and patient safety is the utmost priority,” Friedland said.