Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) announced its collaboration with the Africa Clinical Research Network (ACRN) to support clinical research across Africa, with the first trial launching in February 2026.

The PROTECT-Africa trial aims to study placental biomarkers for predicting severe pre-eclampsia outcomes in African women with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. The study will recruit 1,106 pregnant women across Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

ACRN selected Oracle's clinical trial and safety applications, including Oracle Clinical One and Argus Safety, to manage data and automate workflows for the research initiative. The organization has established 59 network sites across 14 African countries including Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

"Oracle's robust and integrated clinical trial and safety solutions will enable us to conduct studies with greater efficiency, transparency, and, most importantly, an unwavering focus on patient well-being," said Tariro Makadzange, chief executive officer of ACRN.

According to the press release, less than three percent of global clinical trials are currently conducted in Africa. ACRN plans to launch additional clinical trials focused on global health this year using Oracle's cloud-based platform.

"Together, we are creating the digital framework to enable innovation and AI integration into clinical research across the continent," said Seema Verma, executive vice president and general manager of Oracle Health and Life Sciences.

The collaboration aims to build clinical research capacity across Africa and address health disparities in research representation between Africa and other regions globally.