Groundbreaking New Method Enables Secure, Collaborative Cancer Research Across Borders

France, USA, Spain, 13/08/25 - A team of international researchers led by Owkin, in partnership with the Fédération Francophone de Cancérologie Digestive (FFCD, France), the Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Girona Dr Josep Trueta (IDIBGI, Spain), and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN, USA), is proud to announce the publication of their landmark study in Nature Communications.

The research introduces FedECA (Federated External Control Arms), a new tool that enables external control arm analyses for time-to-event outcomes—such as overall survival—when patient-level data cannot be centralized due to privacy or regulatory constraints. Unlike traditional approaches, FedECA allows data to remain securely within each hospital or institution, using federated learning to generate robust comparative evidence without ever sharing raw patient data.

In head-to-head comparisons, FedECA proved to be the leading solution for external control arm studies when data access is restricted to federated settings. The team successfully established a federated research network across three continents, leveraging real-world patient data to rigorously compare the effectiveness of two first-line treatments for metastatic pancreatic cancer.

This achievement demonstrates, for the first time, that high-quality, privacy-enhancing multinational clinical research is possible using federated learning—paving the way for faster, more collaborative drug development and improved patient outcomes worldwide.

Eric Durand, Chief R&Tech Officer, Owkin said:

"We're incredibly proud to see FedECA published in Nature Communications—it's a testament to what’s possible when cutting-edge AI meets real-world healthcare needs. This work shows that it’s possible to accelerate medical research and innovation while respecting patient privacy and regulations. Our collaboration with FFCD, IDIBGI, and PanCAN demonstrates the power of international partnerships to drive real impact for patients with some of the most challenging cancers."

About FFCD

The Fédération Francophone de Cancérologie Digestive (FFCD) is a leading French academic non profit organization  dedicated to advancing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of digestive cancers. In addition to conducting high-quality, European multi-center clinical trials, the FFCD actively participates in translational research through partnerships with academic and industry stakeholders to drive innovation and improvecare for patients with gastrointestinal malignancies.

About IDIBGI

The Girona Biomedical Research Institute Dr. Josep Trueta (IDIBGI) is a translational research center aimed at improving people’s health and care. IDIBGI is organized into 25 research groups distributed across five scientific areas: Cardiovascular and Respiratory, Metabolism and Inflammation, Neuroscience, Onco-haematology, and Mental Health.

About the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) is the leading organization dedicated to advancing progress against pancreatic cancer. We empower patients and caregivers with the resources and knowledge they need to advocate for the care they deserve; we are pioneering the advancement of an early detection strategy for pancreatic cancer and revolutionizing the development of advanced and personalized treatments; and we are building and mobilizing the pancreatic cancer field to ensure better outcomes for all those who face pancreatic cancer today and all those who will fight this disease tomorrow.

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