AI monitoring tool could generate up to 82-fold ROI in phase-3 oncology trials, study finds

An analysis by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development found that an artificial-intelligence clinical monitoring agent can produce an estimated 82-fold return on investment in phase-3 oncology trials. The study examined Medable’s digital trial platform and reported net financial gains of up to $21 million per drug development program.

The report used expected net present value (eNPV) modeling and showed eNPV improvements of about $7.5 million in a phase-2 trial, $11.3 million in a combined phase-2/3 program, and $21 million in a phase-3 study. Direct operating cost savings were estimated at $4.4 million for phase-2 and $5.6 million for phase-3 trials.

The AI monitoring agent automates routine clinical research tasks such as risk scoring, pre-visit summaries and site communications, which can streamline trial operations and reduce expenses. Tufts noted this is the first application of eNPV modeling based on real-world use data to quantify the financial impact of such technology.