Massive Bio and FOMAT Team Up for AI-Powered Cancer Patient Screening
Massive Bio, a company focused on precision cancer care, has partnered with FOMAT, the largest Embedded Research Organization (ERO) in the U.S., to enhance patient prescreening for clinical trials in oncology. This collaboration, which began in June 2026, aims to utilize AI technology for better patient matching through FOMAT’s community-based research network. They are currently testing a pilot program to assess how well the integrated workflow functions before possibly expanding its reach.
Despite major progress in cancer research, many patients who could benefit from clinical trials do not enroll. Often, this is due to the difficulties in connecting patients with available studies promptly. The prescreening process, which helps to determine a patient’s potential eligibility for a trial before a full review, is crucial. When implemented effectively, it makes the enrollment process smoother for both patients and sites, speeding up access to new treatment options.
With this new partnership, Massive Bio will apply its AI platform within FOMAT’s physician network to analyze patient profiles. This will help identify those who may qualify for specific clinical trials in oncology. Patients flagged during this prescreening phase will be directed toward suitable trials, thus shortening the time from diagnosis to access to critical research opportunities. The pilot program is designed to test the effectiveness of this system before any wider application of the partnership.
FOMAT, based in Oxnard, California, recently expanded its reach by acquiring Topography Health’s research site business in May 2026, making it the largest ERO in the country. It now operates over 40 research sites across six states: Maryland, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Michigan, and North Carolina. FOMAT focuses on engaging diverse and underserved patient groups, with most of their recruitment coming from community partners. By combining Massive Bio’s AI capabilities with FOMAT’s established network, the partnership strengthens the link between patient identification and trial enrollment.
“The mission of connecting cancer patients with the right trials at the right time is central to our work,” said Selin Kurnaz, Co-Founder and CEO of Massive Bio. “FOMAT has created a remarkable network that reaches patients where they receive care. By integrating our AI prescreening, we can help identify eligible patients sooner and reduce barriers to accessing trials that could improve their health outcomes.”
Arturo Loaiza-Bonilla, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Medical AI Officer at Massive Bio, added, “Identifying potential trial eligibility as early as possible opens up more options for patients. Traditionally, prescreening has been a slow and inconsistent process. Using AI at FOMAT’s community sites allows us to speed things up without disrupting important physician-patient relationships. This is vital for communities often overlooked in clinical research.”
Toygun Rauf Onaran, SVP of U.S. Provider Engagement and Partnerships at Massive Bio, also spoke about the collaboration. “This partnership is a strategic step toward enhancing the clinical trial landscape. FOMAT’s extensive network in community oncology is where our prescreening technology can really make a difference. We are starting with a focused pilot, but the potential to scale this across FOMAT’s full network is significant for reaching more patients.”
Nicholas Focil, CEO of FOMAT, highlighted the importance of the pilot initiative. “Clinical research can only change lives if patients have a straightforward way to access it. This project combines Massive Bio’s innovative technology with our embedded research model to identify trial opportunities earlier, right where patients feel comfortable. We are eager to see how this can enhance access and, if successful, expand oncology trials for more communities nationwide.”
Massive Bio currently operates in 17 markets and has made over 19,000 clinical trial matches. Their AI platform is supported by a peer-reviewed study in ESMO Real World Data and Digital Oncology, showing trial matching speeds four times faster with high accuracy. The company holds a DiMe Seal from the Digital Medicine Society and is featured in the CMS Medicare App Library, linking its services to more than 68 million Medicare beneficiaries.
The prescreening initiative is still in the pilot phase, with both organizations assessing its effectiveness and reach before planning any larger rollout.
