Unlocking the potential of synthetic patients for accelerating clinical trials: Results of the first GIMEMA experience on acute myeloid leukemia patients

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence has the potential to reshape the landscape of clinical trials through innovative applications, with a notable advancement being the emergence of synthetic patient generation. This process involves simulating cohorts of virtual patients that can either replace or supplement real individuals within trial settings. By leveraging synthetic patients, it becomes possible to eliminate the need for obtaining patient consent and creating control groups that mimic patients in active treatment arms. This method not only streamlines trial processes, reducing time and costs but also fortifies the protection of sensitive participant data. Furthermore, integrating synthetic patients amplifies trial efficiency by expanding the sample size. These straightforward and cost-effective methods also enable the development of personalized subject-specific models, enabling predictions of patient responses to interventions. Synthetic data holds great promise for generating real-world evidence in clinical trials while upholding rigorous confidentiality standards throughout the process. Therefore, this study aims to demonstrate the applicability and performance of these methods in the context of onco-hematological research, breaking through the theoretical and practical barriers associated with the implementation of artificial intelligence in medical trials.