AstraZeneca and Oracle Launch AI Clinical Trials in Abu Dhabi

On 20 October 2026, AstraZeneca and Oracle announced a global collaboration using artificial intelligence (AI) and real-world data to support clinical research. Its first programme will focus on hypertension care and research in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in partnership with UAE-based healthcare firm M42. The collaboration is non-binding, and individual projects will require separate legal, privacy, regulatory, ethical and institutional reviews.

Clinical Trials and Recruitment

A clinical trial is a research study involving human participants that assesses a medical intervention, such as a medicine, for safety or effectiveness. Trial recruitment involves identifying and enrolling participants who meet specified eligibility criteria. The collaboration plans to use AI-enabled capabilities to help identify eligible patients, support earlier disease diagnosis and monitor drug-safety signals. AstraZeneca contributes scientific, clinical-development and regulatory expertise, while Oracle contributes real-world data, cloud infrastructure and AI-enabled clinical capabilities.

Real-World Data and Evidence

Real-world data are health-related data collected outside conventional randomised clinical trials, including information from routine healthcare settings. Real-world evidence is clinical evidence derived from analysing such data. The collaboration plans to apply real-world evidence across the lifecycle of medicines, from research and development to patient care. Its proposed international projects cover the United States, the Middle East and Europe.

Therapeutic Areas and Research Governance

The collaboration covers oncology; cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases; respiratory and immunological conditions; and rare diseases. Its first Abu Dhabi programme concerns hypertension, a condition involving persistently raised blood pressure. Each project will be subject to relevant legal, privacy, regulatory, ethical and institutional review requirements. The agreement does not itself establish binding commitments for every proposed project.

Important Facts for Exams

• Hypertension is persistently raised blood pressure and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
• Oncology is the branch of medicine concerned with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
• AI systems can analyse large datasets to identify patterns, but clinical decisions and research use remain subject to applicable oversight.
• Real-world evidence is derived from analysis of real-world data, rather than being a synonym for the data itself.

The first project is planned in Abu Dhabi with M42 and focuses on hypertension care and clinical research. The collaboration includes proposed work across oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, respiratory, immunology and rare-disease areas.