Merck has announced a collaboration with NVIDIA, Microsoft and Dawn Health to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled patient support model designed to provide more personalized and continuous assistance to people living with rare tumors. The initiative combines pharmaceutical expertise, cloud infrastructure, AI technologies and digital health development to address gaps in existing Patient Support Programs (PSPs).
The proposed model will introduce an AI-facilitated digital companion available around the clock, providing patients with clinically reviewed information and individualized guidance throughout their treatment journeys. The system will incorporate defined escalation pathways, traceability and audit capabilities, while maintaining access to nurses and healthcare professionals when additional support is required.
Miguel Fernández Alcalde, Head of Global Commercial Strategy for Merck's Healthcare business, highlighted the challenges experienced by patients managing complex conditions. “Across their treatment journeys, patients with rare tumors often describe challenges that extend well beyond clinical care, like navigating multiple specialists, complex regimens and repeatedly reconstructing their treatment story for each new stakeholder. Our integrated support ecosystem starts with the need. The goal is to truly transform how healthcare is experienced, not add another tool on top of it,” he stated.
Each partner will contribute specific technological and operational capabilities. NVIDIA will provide AI technologies, including its Nemotron models and NeMo tools, to support system performance and safety. Microsoft will supply cloud infrastructure and AI services through Microsoft Foundry, Azure AI Search and other Azure technologies. Dawn Health will lead product development, regulatory considerations and patient-facing application design using its existing Dawn Platform.
Subject to technical feasibility and regulatory approval, the model will initially be piloted in selected European markets, targeting patients with desmoid tumors and neurofibromatosis type 1 with plexiform neurofibromas (NF1-PN).
The collaboration expands Merck's existing partnership with Dawn Health and aligns with its Integrated Health and Medicines strategy, which combines medicines, digital technologies and healthcare professional support. The companies aim to improve continuity of care for geographically dispersed patient populations while preserving clinical oversight and human interaction.
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