Altasciences and Certara are launching a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating early-phase drug development programs. Altasciences is a fully integrated drug development solution company, while Certara is a global leader in model-informed drug development.

How Altasciences and Certara Will Coexist

The two companies plan to build on Altasciences’ Acceleration Platform by integrating Certara’s strategic drug development services and biosimulation technology. By doing this, the partnership will enable sponsors to establish earlier proof of mechanism. They may also design more efficient studies, and make informed decisions more confidently.

Ideally, embedding modeling insights and digital workflows into development execution optimizes study designs and refines dosing strategies. The companies also say this integrates programs more seamlessly across clinical, nonclinical, bioanalytical, and manufacturing services.

New Drug Development Approaches?

In a press release, Altasciences and Certara noted how fewer than half of preclinical drug candidates reach first-in-human trials successfully. Factors contributing to failure include toxicity, poor pharmacokinetics, lack of efficacy, and animal-to-human results translation. The two parties say these roadblocks can largely be addressed with a fully integrated, model-informed drug development approach.

By partnering now, Altasciences and Certara say they are combining forces at just the right time. The U.S. FDA is advancing new guidance that supports more adaptive, data-driven, and real-time approaches. The companies say integrating model-informed drug development execution models can deliver on this promise.

“We already help sponsors move from first safety assessment to proof-of-concept with speed and precision,” said Altasciences CEO Marie-Hélène Raigneau. “By embedding Certara’s modeling capabilities into our platform, we can further inform critical decisions earlier and with greater confidence. This collaboration is about reducing uncertainty at the moments that matter most.”

“This partnership unlocks new opportunities to improve early development decisions for biotech sponsors and investors,” said Certara CEO Jon Resnick. “By embedding modeling and simulation directly into execution, we enable faster, more informed decision-making that ultimately benefits patients.”