New Tufts CSDD Report Profiles New R&D Cross-Functional Approaches Driving Higher Levels of Efficiency

Boston, MA (June 24 2015) -The Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (CSDD) announces the release of a new report highlighting innovative approaches across the R&D continuum that pharmaceutical companies are implementing to drive efficiency and lower cost.  

The new report, entitled "Profiles of New Approaches to Improving the Efficiency and Performance of Pharmaceutical Drug Development," details six primary areas across scientific, operating and manufacturing divisions including new approaches to validating drug targets; integrating real world data into the R&D process; flexible and adaptive clinical trials; and green manufacturing techniques driving efficiency while reducing carbon footprint.

"The Tufts CSDD research team identified new strategies and tactics that pharmaceutical companies are implementing across the R&D value chain to reduce rising development costs, shorten cycle times, and ultimately deliver better innovations to improve public health," said Ken Getz, director of sponsored programs and an associate professor at Tufts CSDD.

Tufts CSDD found that all of the approaches draw their inspiration and insight from trends impacting the broader health care environment and other economic sectors.  Moreover, the approaches are motivated by the strong desire to better serve public and patient communities.  And they are highly collaborative, relying on the sharing of pre-competitive information among government agencies, academia, patient groups, payers, providers and the community of biopharmaceutical companies. 

In addition to narrative and data summarizing each progressive approach, the report provides case examples and their impact.  The report is based on extensive data gathering and three-dozen in-depth interviews with recognized experts and company representatives conducted in late 2014 and early 2015.  Tufts CSDD also convened a roundtable in 2015 to stimulate discussion and gather insights into the results.