CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — GI Alliance (GIA), a Cardinal Health company and the nation’s largest physician-led gastroenterology network, has announced a strategic partnership with healthcare technology firm Iterative Health to enhance clinical research in gastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases. The collaboration aims to increase access to cutting-edge clinical trials within community-based medical practices across the U.S. and Europe.
The partnership integrates GIA’s 21 active research sites—currently running over 80 Phase II–IV trials—into Iterative Health’s expanding Site Network, which now includes more than 70 locations. The move is expected to make clinical research a more accessible and routine aspect of GI care.
“This partnership represents a powerful step forward in our mission to integrate research into everyday GI care,” said Dr. Casey Chapman, Chief Medical Officer at GI Alliance. “By combining GIA’s clinical depth with Iterative Health’s innovative infrastructure, we are enabling more physicians and their patients to participate in cutting-edge clinical trials without leaving their communities.”
Iterative Health will oversee trial operations across all sites, providing logistics, technology, and a robust pipeline of GI and hepatology-focused clinical trials. The companies say the effort will help accelerate the development of new therapies for conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), which are increasingly being treated outside of large academic centers.
“This reflects the reality of a shifting care paradigm,” said Jonathan Ng, Founder and CEO of Iterative Health. “Most care for even complex chronic conditions now happens in community practices. With this partnership, we can support physicians who are passionate about research while helping bring innovative treatments to a broader patient population.”
GIA includes more than 1,000 physicians operating at over 400 locations in 20 states, providing care to millions annually. Clinical research has long been a cornerstone of its mission, aimed at integrating new treatment options into routine care.
The partnership is expected to create a high-performing research ecosystem that connects pharmaceutical companies with experienced investigators and engaged patient populations—ultimately accelerating the delivery of new treatments to the market.
