NEW YORK — BC Platforms said on Monday that it has partnered with the African Institute of Everyone Genome to collect genomic data on millions of people throughout the continent to improve drug development and clinical research.
Through the alliance, AIEG will use BC Platforms' Discovery and Research Platform, a cloud-based data management and analytics system, to collect genomic data from over 10 million consenting individuals in all 54 African countries over the next 10 to 15 years. AIEG, a company based in South Africa, said it aims to build the largest integrated clinical and genomics database and biobank in Africa.
The data, BC Platforms said, is expected to support the identification and validation of novel targets, as well as provide early insights into adverse events, for drugs specifically designed for patients in sub-Saharan Africa.
An initial pilot cohort is expected to begin participating in the project next month.
"Our goal is for African DNA to be studied on its own and be part of clinical trials for new and novel therapies treating a truly global population," AIEG CEO Joe Mojapelo said in a statement. "Through the [real-world data] that will be produced by future studies in collaboration with [BC Platforms], leveraging their integrated cloud-based platform alongside our region-leading database, we are keen to contribute to a new world of research equity."
Earlier this year, Zurich-based BC Platforms began a data-management alliance with CureDuchenne, a nonprofit focused on Duchenne muscular dystrophy research.