NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – IBM and Hangzhou CognitiveCare announced that 21 hospitals across China plan to adopt Watson for Oncology in order to help their clinicians better personalize cancer treatments for their patients.
The partners said the initial 21-hospital deal is part of a multi-year partnership that plans to introduce Watson to several more hospitals across China. Hangzhou CognitiveCare will provide sales, service, and customer support, including localizing Watson's results and analysis for doctors in China, and providing some translation services for drug labels and treatment guidelines.
Watson for Oncology draws from more than 300 medical journals, more than 200 textbooks, and nearly 15 million pages of text, IBM said. It provides recommendations about different drug options and administration instructions, as well as information from various treatment guidelines.
"Hangzhou CognitiveCare is eager to bring IBM's Watson for Oncology to reach every oncologist in China we possibly can," said CEO Zhen Tu in a statement. "Watson has the power to transform how doctors battle cancer in China and around the world, providing physicians with insights regarding treatment options that help them customize therapeutic recommendations specific to each individual, based on a patient's specific needs."
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.