Leading CRO forges new partnerships with Pratia network in Europe, NEXT Oncology in Spain; others to deliver efficient trials with expedited start-up timelines for customers
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. and SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. – May 18, 2023 – In response to the growing and ever-changing clinical research landscape and the need to bring innovative treatments to patients faster, Worldwide Clinical Trials (Worldwide), a leading global, full-service contract research organization (CRO), has expanded its Site Alliance Collaboration with new partners across the U.S. and Europe.
Additions include new relationships with NEXT Oncology in Spain and the pan-European Pratia Research Platform, along with its oncology research units – supported by a dedicated Global Site Alliances role, established at Worldwide last year.
In addition to the new relationships mentioned above, Worldwide has increased its relationships in the U.S. with the addition of the MultiCare Institute for Research & Innovation, Alliance for Multispecialty Research (AMR), and HonorHealth Research Institute.
“Through our affiliation with Worldwide and its Site Alliance Collaboration, HonorHealth Research Institute is aligned with some of the world’s leading biomedical research institutes,” said Mark A. Slater, Ph.D., CEO, HonorHealth Research Institute. “This global partnership will bring hope and answers to an ever-greater population and provide medical benefit to patients who need our help today, especially those right here in Arizona.”
Early engagement with experienced sites is vital to the success of a clinical trial, especially in oncology trials. Worldwide’s Site Alliance model includes various research sites, from major academic centers to regional private hospitals and community-based sites. Worldwide’s close relationship with the Alliance sites provides the opportunity to interact with sponsors as early as possible in the protocol development process, with a focus on communication and feedback about patient needs. This early engagement, along with Worldwide’s global relationships and extensive knowledge of oncology sites, results in many customer benefits, such as visibility of both trials in progress and upcoming trials for seamless resourcing and planning; and protocol feedback from principal investigators. This model also provides increased awareness for products in competitive markets, expedited feasibility process for quicker selection, and the opportunity to leverage existing relationships with other Worldwide Alliance sites.
“Our goal has always been to grow the NEXT Oncology infrastructure to create access to potentially lifesaving therapies for our cancer patients and those around the globe,” said Dr. Anthony Tolcher, MD, founder of NEXT Oncology. “Not only does this alliance bring new therapies to more patients but also the ability to deliver data to sponsors more quickly with less errors, which helps improve quality of life for those on trials.”
“Pratia is excited to collaborate more strategically with Worldwide Clinical Trials to reduce the time to market for sponsors and, more importantly, for patients,” said Jack Evans, Executive Director, Portfolio Management, Pratia SA. “Through earlier engagement, closer collaboration, and alignment, we can collectively improve patient access to clinical trials and, critically, access to new therapies.”
Existing Site Alliance relationships for Worldwide include The Christ Hospital™ Health Network and NEXT Oncology (U.S.), among others.
“Over the past three years, the clinical trials industry has seen unprecedented change and demand, with upward trends for the number of new trials, but limited site capacity often causes delays for complex trials,” said Clare Wallis, President, Oncology Business Unit, Worldwide. “Through our Site Alliance Collaboration, we are able to focus on addressing time-limiting hurdles to reduce the activation period for our sponsors, while sharing the latest feedback from our Alliance sites – with the ultimate goal of ensuring patients have access to advanced clinical trial options.”