A compilation of recent notable news developments that pertain to the clinical trials industry.
Inato, a global industry marketplace that matches research sites to the right clinical trial protocols, announced over 500 sites across more than 30 countries are participating in its Marketplace. Sanofi and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany have also joined the Marketplace, which Inato says will further its mission to accelerate the pace of medical innovation to improve people’s lives.
Using a data-driven approach—coupled with a high-touch qualification and support process—the Inato Marketplace provides research sites the opportunity to search and match for trials based on their qualifications, interests, and patient needs. By matching sites and trials on a global scale, the Marketplace enables trial sponsors to work with a broader range of qualified sites and rapidly expand the pool of patients engaged in their trials.
Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have introduced the Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act to authorize nearly $25 billion in support to US researchers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although coronavirus-related research is a current federal government priority, most other research has been delayed due to closures of campuses and laboratories. The people who comprise the research workforce—graduate students, postdocs, principal investigators, and technical support staff—face financial and other hardships from the disruption of their research activities. The RISE Act would provide necessary relief to preserve the current scientific workforce and ensure that the US is prepared to continue its global scientific leadership once this crisis ends.
GCSA Intrinsic is supporting the UK clinical research industry by providing an internationally-recognized quality benchmark for sites focused on attracting commercial clinical trials.
The GCSA gold standard has been ratified by a global advisory board of industry experts from a broad range of global and UK organizations. According to Board members, GCSA will either enhance existing standards that some UK research centers have, or it will help improve and raise the standards of those centers that are trying to build their research capacity, thus allowing these centers to promote themselves as global competitors
Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc and GW Pharmaceuticals plc have entered into a definitive agreement for Jazz to acquire GW for $220 per American Depositary Share (ADS), in the form of $200 in cash and $20 in Jazz ordinary shares, for a total consideration of $7.2 billion, or $6.7 billion net of GW cash. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter.
The combined company will be among the leaders in neuroscience. GW has a scientific platform and a deep pipeline of cannabinoid product candidates, as well as highly specialized manufacturing expertise. GW’s lead product, Epidiolex oral solution, is approved in patients one-year and older for the treatment of seizures.
—Staff and wire reports
Including Women of Childbearing Age in Clinical Research
March 26th 2024In recognition of International Women's Month, we're featuring this recent talk between Associate Editor Miranda Schmalfuhs and Marie Teil, Global Head of UCB’s Women of Childbearing Age Program. They speak about the specific challenges women with chronic illnesses face when accessing appropriate treatment and participating in clinical trials, UCB's Women of Childbearing Age Program and it’s most successful strategies, and much more.
FDA Fast Tracks Johnson & Johnson’s Nipocalimab for Fetal Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia
March 27th 2024Johnson & Johnson is moving forward with a pair of Phase III trials of nipocalimab to reduce the risk of fetal neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia in alloimmunized pregnant patients.
Improving Engagement While Maintaining Data Integrity & Validity
March 19th 2024In recognition of Women's Health Month, we're featuring this recent talk between Associate Editor Miranda Schmalfuhs and uMotif's Chief Product Officer, Julia Lakeland, discuss new technologies improving patient engagement and reducing the emotional and logistical burdens of participation, ethical considerations that should be addressed when implementing those technologies, while ensuring patient privacy, and much more.
The State of the Opioid Epidemic
March 26th 2024In part 1 of this video interview, Greg Sturmer, co-founder and CEO of Elysium Therapeutics discusses the current state of opioid usage including how pain treatment is often mismanaged and how the industry can adopt greater safety standards in developing pain therapies.