Kakao Healthcare, Sanofi partner to harness medical data for AI solutions

Sanofi-Aventis Korea General Manager Bae Kyung-eun, left, and Kakao Healthcare CEO Hwang Hee pose after signing a memorandum of understanding in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Kakao Healthcare

Kakao Healthcare has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sanofi-Aventis Korea to jointly conduct real-world evidence research and develop artificial intelligence (AI) solutions using medical data, the digital health care company said Monday.

The memorandum was signed Friday during the Korea-France Economic Future Dialogue, held alongside French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Korea, which marked the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The companies said they will jointly conduct real-world evidence (RWE) studies using health care data, while developing and advancing AI models through federated learning.

Kakao Healthcare said it will provide platforms and technologies capable of supporting research based on real clinical data, while Sanofi will contribute its expertise in AI, digital health care and medical science.

The companies said they will explore applications including early disease detection and personalized patient care, focusing on AI-based analysis for early diagnosis of Fabry disease — a rare inherited disorder that prevents the body from breaking down a type of fat called globotriaosylceramide — and tailored management models to optimize asthma treatment.

“Real-world evidence is a cornerstone of patient-centered care, and this collaboration marks a significant starting point for advancing clinical research by combining Sanofi’s AI and digital healthcare expertise with Kakao Healthcare’s RWE platform technology,” said Bae Kyung-eun, general manager of Sanofi-Aventis Korea.

“This partnership lays the groundwork for implementing RWE research in real clinical settings based on healthcare data, and we will continue to expand the value of data-driven research,” said Kakao Healthcare CEO Hwang Hee.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.