Oncology clinical trials can involve significant cost and time before a cancer drug gains market approval. According to research conducted by biotechnology trade organization, BIO, the likelihood of approval (LOA) from Phase I for oncology drugs was just over 5%, with Phase II and Phase III showing LOAs of 25% and 40% respectively. When compared to other therapeutic classes cancer drugs are identified as experiencing some of the lowest LOAs. What this illustrates is the received wisdom that oncology research is extremely challenging when compared to other types of clinical research. A recent article published by the Institute of Medicine (US) Forum on Drug Discovery, Development and Translation on this topic cites several barriers that may contribute to these low LOAs. These barriers include the high cost of conducting clinical trials in cancer, the length of time required for approval, and low participation rates of patients in clinical studies.

For organizations conducting cancer clinical studies, clinical research organizations (CROs) provide vital support to researchers in mitigating some of the barriers found in oncology clinical research. As a preliminary matter, a CRO is an independent organization that provides research support, on a contract basis, in the drug development process. CROs are well positioned when compared to research institutions to better provide a broader range of resources and experience in clinical research since CROs can provide often collaborate with a wide range of companies and other research support organizations engaged in clinical research. The primary benefit offered, from CROs rests in the fact that they allow pharmaceutical companies and research institutions to draw upon a range of experience and resources, that they may not normally have access to if conducting research on their own.

As stated above, one of the most significant benefits CROs provides their clients rests in the wealth of connections and experience these organizations can offer clinical researchers. Often, the primary investigators working on behalf of a drug company are not capable of tapping into all of the research sites and experts available for clinical research. The reasons for this rest in institutional or financial constraints that often prevent them from engaging experts and research sites beyond those immediately available to them. Secondly, most institutions primarily responsible for clinical research are not able to focus exclusively on one class of drugs, or on drugs that treat one disease, rather they often work in a broad scope of research questions that does not enable them to develop a deep network of research sites and experts in a niche area. CROs are often better positioned to generate meaningful clinical research data because they are involved in more focused research that allows them to better engage patients and address investigator needs which result in more meaningful data.

One such CRO, INC Research, offers a unique level of support to clinical researchers, in that they exclusively work in the oncology clinical studies and oncology clinical trials space. INC Research provides oncology-focused clinical study and clinical trial support to the oncology pharmaceutical industry with dedicated research teams focusing on early phase oncology, hematology-oncology, and solid tumors research. INC Research’s team consist of over 800 physicians, clinical research associates and project managers whose combined experience from over 600 oncology studies can provide drug developers and clinicians a significant knowledge and experience base.