A fast-growing, Birmingham-based, Black-owned health care startup is partnering with one of the world’s most influential health research and pharmaceutical companies to help boost the participation of African Americans in oncology clinical studies.

Birmingham-based Acclinate is a digital health company focused on improving health equity through predictive analytics technology and community engagement. It recently announced a collaboration with Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, to help increase Black community participation in Merck’s oncology clinical studies.

“We’re proud to be working with Merck because being a champion for health equity through inclusive research takes strategic orientation and proactiveness. We look forward to seeing how our continued collaboration can positively impact patients,” said Del Smith, Acclinate CEO and co-founder.

As part of the collaboration, Acclinate will deploy its Nowincluded platform. Nowincluded offers access to health information and resources around disorders that disproportionately affect communities of color and provides a space for community members to connect and share their experiences. The platform is designed to build trust between health care providers and people from historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups, with the goal of empowering people to make better-informed health decisions, including those potentially participating in clinical trials.

As part of the initiative, Acclinate will contribute its proprietary predictive analytics tool, “e-DICT” (Enhanced Diversity in Clinical Trials), that provides real-time reporting on community access and engagement activities and insights into potential trial participants.

“Community engagement is a key step toward increasing diversity in clinical trials,” said Adrelia Allen, executive director for Clinical Trial Patient Diversity at Merck.

“We’re excited to collaborate with Acclinate to raise awareness among the Black/African American community of available clinical trials for people with cancer. It is important that our research appropriately reflects the communities we serve,” Allen said.

Last month, Acclinate announced plans to add 25 workers in Birmingham, expanding its operations in the Denham Building in the city’s Parkside neighborhood. The 25 jobs were expected to pay an average annual salary of $83,000 during a three-year period, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce. The company, which currently has more than 30 people on staff, also has an office in Huntsville.

Last December, Acclinate teamed with Trialbee, a Swedish clinical trial technology firm, to increase patient enrollment and retention. In March, the company partnered with Savvy, a patient-owned co-op, to provide an enriched patient/community experience for minorities and advance clinical trial research diversity. And in August, Acclinate partnered with Alabama Regional Medical Services (ARMS) to promote health equity and educate the community about the value of taking part in research.

Acclinate cofounders Tiffany Whitlow and Del Smith. (Acclinate)

Acclinate is among nearly two dozen partners working to secure Birmingham’s designation as a federal TechHub, which could ultimately inject $75 million into the Magic City economy. The U.S. Economic Development Administration selected the city among 31 locations across the nation to compete for five to 10 hubs eligible for significant funding.

“Acclinate is taking aim at a well-documented problem in health care research, and this promising startup is expanding its presence in Birmingham to advance its important mission,” Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said last month.

To learn more about Acclinate, visit acclinate.com.