Industry Standard Research Identifies Quality CROs

Industry Standard Research (ISR) announced the availability of its 3rd annual CRO Quality Benchmarking Report. The 2011 version of the report profiles 169 pharmaceutical and biotechnology professionals and their experiences with dozens of small, mid-size, and large CROs. In total, data were collected on over 410 Sponsor/CRO interactions.

“We’re operating in an extraordinarily busy and complicated time in the world of drug development,” stated Kevin Olson, CEO, Industry Standard Research. Olson went on: “Drug companies are merging, acquiring, and cutting at seemingly unprecedented rates and outsourcing more and more of their development activities. CROs, for their part, are consolidating at least as fast and need to do everything possible to ensure they stay focused on the quality of their service amidst all the activity. This report provides sponsor companies a critical tool that will maximize their chances of success when selecting a CRO partner. Historically, sponsors have been left to select their CROs based solely on their own experiences and on what the CROs tell them. This “Consumer Reports-style” analysis allows every buyer access to the experience of nearly 200 other drug development professionals worldwide.”

The study, in its third consecutive year of publication, segments much of its data by clinical phase of development. In addition to the annual service quality measurements the study also delivers a detailed analysis of CRO selection drivers, outsourcing volume, preferred CROs, intended future use of specific CROs, and much more. The report contains nearly 300 pages with several hundred charts, graphs, and analysis.