The Rise of 'Technology-Enabled' Clinical Research Companies

Technology is catapulting clinical trials into a 'new era' as scientific breakthroughs bring new opportunities to an industry that has traditionally lacked innovation.

Eric Hodgins, senior vice president, research and development technology solutions at QuintilesIMS, told us there are a number of dynamics “significantly transforming the industry and driving an increase in technology-enabled clinical research.” Notably, there are two macro trends: the pace of innovation in scientific research and the explosion of technological advancements.

Adam Butler, senior vice president, strategic development and corporate marketing at Bracket, also cited recent encouragement from regulators. “Regulators have started to embrace and encourage this development, and this is probably the most significant shift that has facilitated adoption amongst pharma and biotech,” he told us.

According to Hodgins, scientific breakthroughs have allowed the industry to access new compounds and resources that have changed the types of molecules developed and the way in which clinical trials are executed. For example, he cited the industry’s entrance into the new era of precision medicine in which companies are developing therapies based on a patient’s unique genetic sequence...