Sun Life and Medzown Partner to Expand Clinical Trial Access for Cancer and Complex Diseases
Key Insights
Sun Life U.S. (search) and Medzown are collaborating to connect self-insured employer plan members with cancer (search) and complex conditions to appropriate clinical trials.
Medzown's AI-powered Predictive Population Analytics platform identifies patients at diagnostic or therapeutic crossroads who may benefit from trial enrollment.
Cancer (search) costs average $252,000 per individual per year and orthopedic/musculoskeletal conditions (search) cost $120,000, according to Sun Life's 2026 high-cost claims report.
Sun Life U.S. (search), the nation's largest independent stop-loss provider, and Medzown, Inc. (search), a precision medicine management company, announced on June 16, 2026 a collaboration to increase access to clinical trials for employees at self-insured employers across the United States. The partnership integrates Medzown's AI-powered clinical model into Sun Life's suite of health solutions, enabling the identification of patients at diagnostic or therapeutic crossroads and connecting them to appropriate clinical trials for cancer (search) and other complex conditions, including orthopedic and musculoskeletal diseases.
The collaboration addresses a pressing financial challenge for self-funded employers. According to Sun Life's 2026 high-cost claims report, cancer (search) costs an average of $252,000 per individual per year, while orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions cost an average of $120,000. By offering clinical trial access as an intervention point, the partnership aims to address high-cost claims before they escalate.
AI-Driven Patient Identification and Navigation
Medzown's Predictive Population Analytics platform proactively recognizes members with rare diseases (search), oncology diagnoses, and other complex conditions who may benefit from advanced treatment options, including enrollment in clinical trials. The proprietary approach prioritizes member engagement through cobranded outreach with the employer client. A team of precision medicine scientists and personal navigators works directly with patients and their care teams, serving as a seamless extension of existing member benefits.
"Sun Life stop-loss insurance is an invaluable safety net for self-funded employers to mitigate the financial impact of high-cost claims," said Dr. Jennifer Levin Carter, founder and CEO of Medzown. "Medzown's precision medicine capabilities extend that safety net to ensure members navigating a cancer (search) diagnosis or rare disease have access to every medical intervention available. Together, we can offer a comprehensive solution for employers actively seeking smarter approaches to improve health outcomes, contain high-cost claims and ensure every patient has the support they need to manage a life-changing diagnosis."
Addressing Employer Financial Risk
Jennifer Collier, president of Health and Risk Solutions at Sun Life U.S. (search), emphasized the dual human and financial dimensions of the initiative. "Employers who self-fund their health plans face immense financial risk when members develop complex, costly conditions," Collier said. "Medzown's clinical expertise and individualized support is uniquely suited to address both the human and financial sides of managing major health conditions. There are many approaches we offer for improving health outcomes and reducing medical spend; adding access to clinical trials is an important next step in ensuring our clients can offer their employees the best opportunities for effective care."
The Medzown platform integrates molecular, clinical, and claims data to match patients with appropriate therapies and clinical trials. Each case is reviewed by PhD scientists and supported by personal navigators who work directly with patients and their physicians, ensuring that every eligible member has a clear, supported path to the most appropriate therapy — including cutting-edge treatments that may reduce long-term specialty drug costs for employers.
Expanding Sun Life's Health Solutions Portfolio
Medzown becomes the latest addition to Sun Life's comprehensive suite of health solutions, which includes Clinical 360 for expert clinical review of high-dollar claims, Health Navigator for one-on-one care navigation services, Expert Cancer (search) Review for access to expert second opinions, and additional health support for orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions. Sun Life U.S. (search) currently helps approximately 48 million Americans access care and coverage through employers, industry partners, and government programs.
Founded in 2022 by clinician and entrepreneur Dr. Jennifer Levin Carter, Medzown is dedicated to expanding access to advanced therapies and clinical trials for patients with cancer (search) and other high-cost, complex diseases. The company combines advanced data analytics with expert clinical guidance to help patients receive individualized care while enabling employers and payers to better manage rising specialty drug costs.