A South African artificial intelligence platform has reduced clinical trial database testing and validation from five days to one, earning international recognition after finishing second in the 2026 CDISC AI Innovation Challenge.
The platform, called Leova, was developed by Johannesburg-based BioInformatiCo to automate parts of the process researchers use to build and test digital systems for collecting clinical trial data.
Its performance placed it second among 19 entries in the competition’s first use case, which focused on applying AI-generated synthetic data to automate software testing.
The recognition, announced on November 2, 2026, highlights the potential of African-developed technology to address operational challenges in medical research. Brandspur Brand News reports that the platform is designed to help research teams identify database errors and inconsistencies before enrolling participants in clinical studies.
Clinical trial databases are essential for recording and managing information gathered during tests of new medicines and vaccines. Preparing them can require between 10 and 20 weeks of specialist work, with each database designed around the specific requirements of a research protocol.
Errors in these systems can affect data quality, lead to expensive corrections and delay research. Leova seeks to reduce that burden by using study protocols to draft data collection forms and validation rules, build databases and test them with simulated participants.
The software’s testing process uses artificial participants to challenge the database rules, helping researchers identify weaknesses before a live trial begins.
BioInformatiCo founder and chief executive Shirley Collie said the platform emerged from the company’s experience supporting clinical research and the practical difficulties involved in preparing reliable trial databases.
The company currently works on early-stage and phase three vaccine research involving infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, Ebola and COVID-19.
The international recognition comes as South Africa’s medical research sector faces funding pressures following cuts to US health programmes and research support. Universities and research organisations have also faced uncertainty over grants, while clinical studies and health initiatives have been affected.
Although automation cannot replace funding or specialist researchers, the platform could help teams make better use of limited resources by reducing the time spent on repetitive database preparation and testing.
BioInformatiCo supports clinical trials across sub-Saharan Africa and is pursuing international expansion. It plans to launch a US site, while discussions with potential sponsors are ongoing in Europe and Australia.
The company also intends to open a seed funding round in the coming months to finance Leova’s further development and commercial expansion.
The platform’s competition result adds to growing efforts to develop African technology for global healthcare challenges, particularly in areas where reliable research data is essential to evaluating new treatments and vaccines.
