AI For Pharma Growth E236: Why 90% of Trials Still Fail — and What AI Can (and Can't) Fix
In this episode of AI For Pharma Growth, Dr Andree Bates speaks with Raviv Pryluk, co-founder and CEO of PhaseV, about why so many clinical trials still fail and where AI can genuinely improve the odds.
Raviv argues that failure is often not because the drug itself is wrong. Trials can fail because of the wrong patient population, indication, dose, design, sites, monitoring or interpretation of the data. PhaseV uses causal machine learning, adaptive trial design and large-scale simulation to help sponsors make better decisions across those areas.
The conversation explores why explainability and validation matter in clinical development. Raviv explains that a 95% prediction is not enough on its own. Sponsors and regulators need to understand why a recommendation is being made, which evidence supports it, and whether the result is statistically and clinically defensible.
They also discuss using existing trial data to identify responder subgroups, stress-testing designs before patients are enrolled, adapting trials mid-flight and connecting protocol design more closely with clinical operations.
Topics Covered
Why clinical trials still fail
Causal ML versus predictive modelling
Patient selection and responder subgroups
Adaptive trial design
Simulating trials before enrolment
Site selection and recruitment
Validation, explainability and statistical guarantees
Go/no-go portfolio decisions
About Eularis
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About the Podcast
AI For Pharma Growth is the podcast from Dr Andree Bates, helping pharma, biotech and healthcare organisations understand how AI-based technologies can save time, grow brands and improve company results. The show demystifies AI for biopharma leaders, from start-up biotech through to Big Pharma.
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