Author : Kathleen Greenough
The changing nature of clinical trials means studies in all therapeutic areas are rising in complexity. But even with thousands of pharmaceutical trials currently underway across the globe, oncology trials are still presenting more difficulty to sponsors due to size and numerous changes in study protocols
Overview
Trial research needs to account for increased complexity and competition when recruiting patients in cancer studies. Patients and oncologists have more choices than ever for the placement of qualified study participants. Not only are treatments more specialised, but the industry is finally beginning to see positive results from decades of research. No longer do researchers have to rely solely on traditional approaches to existing cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy. Now, patients are being considered for immunotherapy and cell and gene therapy. According to the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, at the outset of 2021 there were 1,220 active worldwide clinical trials in regenerative medicine and advanced cell and gene therapies, with a majority (554) of them aimed at oncology 2.