Accenture and Merck are partnering with Amazon Web Services to create a cloud-based research platform that will help life science companies working on early stages of drug development.
The Merck/Accenture platform will create an open, industry-standard application for core research functions, the companies said. The platform will support application providers, content providers and tech innovators in the life sciences sector.
When launched, it will be able to aggregate, access and analyze research data from multiple applications that will be available through a single set of interfaces in order to boost collaboration across R&D activities.
“Pharmaceutical and biotech R&D is evolving rapidly, with advances in biological sciences generating an increase in the volume and diversity of research data,” Brad Michel, Accenture’s managing director of Scientific Informatics Services, said in a statement. “Understanding the industry’s need to drive faster, more efficient and more innovative scientific research, we are pleased to collaborate with Merck, and AWS to launch the platform and associated ecosystem to help our clients accelerate the discovery of new, targeted treatments for patients.”
Accenture and Merck are looking to leverage industry-standard application programming interfaces. Accenture also said it is putting together a precompetitive collaboration to enhance the platform’s capabilities.