Target RWE Taps Pioneer to Lead Causal Inference Revolution

DURHAM, NC – December 09, 2025 – In a move signaling a significant strategic pivot towards higher-fidelity data analytics, Target RWE has announced the return of M. Alan Brookhart, Ph.D., to lead its NoviSci division. The creation of the new "President of NoviSci" role for its original co-founder is more than a high-profile hire; it represents a deliberate and substantial investment by parent company Highlander Health to solidify Target RWE's position at the vanguard of regulatory-grade real-world evidence (RWE).

The appointment aims to accelerate the development of sophisticated analytic tools capable of establishing causal links between therapies and outcomes from complex, real-world data—a capability increasingly demanded by both regulatory bodies and the pharmaceutical industry. Brookhart’s return to a full-time leadership capacity is a clear indicator that the race to unlock the full potential of RWE is entering a new phase, one defined by scientific rigor and validated methodology.

A Strategic Bet on Unmatched Expertise

Bringing Alan Brookhart back into the fold is a calculated move to inject world-class expertise directly into the company's core analytics engine. Brookhart is widely recognized as a luminary in epidemiology and biostatistics, with a deep specialization in the very methods needed to overcome the inherent challenges of observational data. With over 200 publications in leading scientific journals and a track record of co-founding successful data-centric startups like RxAnte and NoviSci itself, his credentials are unimpeachable.

This is not merely about adding a name to the leadership roster. It is about embedding the architect of the company’s foundational breakthroughs back into its operational and strategic core. Target RWE acquired NoviSci in 2021 to harness its advanced software for visualizing and analyzing health data. Now, under the ownership of Highlander Health—the investment and innovation firm co-founded by industry veterans Dr. Amy Abernethy and Dr. Brad Hirsch—the mandate is to double down on that original vision.

“We are delighted to have such a luminary in the field of epidemiology and causal inference like Alan join Target RWE’s leadership team,” said Amy Abernethy, co-founder of Highlander Health and a board member of Target RWE. “Healthcare and technology are converging at rates never seen before, and Alan’s appointment to a full-time leadership role is truly meeting this moment in time and his experience will help Target RWE drive improvements in patient outcomes.”

Brad Hirsch, also a Highlander Health co-founder and Target RWE board member, framed the appointment as a direct reflection of Highlander’s strategy. “Alan’s appointment is a reflection of Highlander Health’s recognition of and further investment in Target RWE’s unmatched ability to deliver high quality longitudinal real-world healthcare data,” he stated. This underscores that the investment is not just in technology, but in the top-tier talent required to wield it effectively.

From Correlation to Causation: The Regulatory Imperative

The timing of Brookhart’s appointment is critical, as the regulatory environment for RWE is rapidly maturing. For years, the industry has grappled with using real-world data—drawn from electronic health records, claims data, and patient registries—to supplement traditional randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The primary obstacle has always been demonstrating a clear, causal relationship rather than simple correlation, while controlling for the myriad biases present in non-interventional data.

This is where NoviSci's focus on causal inference becomes a powerful differentiator. Causal inference employs advanced statistical methods, such as propensity score matching and target trial emulation, to mimic the conditions of an RCT using observational data. This allows researchers to more confidently determine if a specific drug or intervention caused a specific outcome.

The demand for such rigor is no longer just academic. Regulatory bodies are formalizing their expectations. A March 2024 draft guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on non-interventional studies explicitly states that the "reliability and relevance of real-world data (RWD)... are critical for making appropriate causal inferences." This shift from guidance to requirement places companies with validated causal inference software, like Target RWE's causalStudio™, at a distinct advantage. Brookhart’s leadership is expected to propel the development of these tools, ensuring they not only meet but help define the new regulatory standards for evidence generation.

Highlander’s Vision for a Modern Evidence Ecosystem

The appointment also provides a clear window into the strategic vision of Highlander Health, which acquired Target RWE in January 2025 as its inaugural major investment. Founded with a mission to "modernize evidence generation," Highlander Health is building an ecosystem designed to leverage high-quality RWE for personalized healthcare. Their approach is distinctly science-led, prioritizing deep clinical and methodological expertise to extract meaningful insights from data.

By placing a figure like Brookhart at the helm of a key division, Highlander Health is signaling to the market that its investment thesis hinges on scientific validity. This move is less about a quick financial return and more about building a durable, defensible market position based on superior evidence quality. The firm's structure, which includes both an investment arm and a public interest institute, further reflects a commitment to advancing the entire field of evidence generation, with collaborations already underway with leading institutions like the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Competing on Rigor in a Crowded Market

The RWE solutions market, projected to exceed $6.9 billion by 2034, is fiercely competitive. Major players like IQVIA, Optum, and Flatiron Health dominate large segments of the market, while specialized firms such as Aetion and Verantos have carved out niches by focusing on specific methodologies or therapeutic areas. In this environment, differentiation is paramount.

Target RWE's strategy, amplified by Brookhart's return, is to compete not on the volume of data alone, but on the sophistication and validity of its analysis. By focusing on building and delivering validated causal inference software, the company is positioning itself as the partner of choice for pharmaceutical companies seeking to generate evidence robust enough for regulatory submissions, label expansions, and critical post-market safety evaluations.

As Brookhart himself noted, the goal is to "deliver on the promise of Target RWE’s analytic technology to propel the quality and pace of RWE generation." This focus on quality and pace addresses the core needs of a pharmaceutical industry under pressure to accelerate development timelines while simultaneously meeting higher evidence standards. The convergence of elite talent, advanced technology, and clear regulatory demand creates a powerful opportunity for Target RWE to redefine what is possible with real-world data.