Kakao Healthcare and Sanofi to collaborate on real-world evidence and AI research

South Korean digital health firm Kakao Healthcare and the Korean unit of French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on real-world evidence research and AI model development using medical data.

The MOU, signed on 3 July, was announced on the sidelines of the Korea-France Business Future Dialogue, an event marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Under the agreement, the companies plan to conduct joint RWE research using clinical data and develop AI models through federated learning — a technique that trains algorithms without transferring raw data externally, allowing organisations to leverage patient data whilst preserving privacy.

Kakao Healthcare will contribute its platform and real-world clinical data infrastructure, whilst Sanofi brings pharmaceutical expertise and AI and digital health capabilities. The partnership aims to validate applications across areas including early disease detection and personalised patient management.

Kakao Healthcare CEO Hwang Hee said the agreement establishes a foundation for implementing data-driven RWE research in clinical settings, adding that the company intends to develop further models combining data and AI.