May 2013 – The CenterWatch Monthly : Print
Product Details
INC Research, PPD, inVentiv named top CROs
The effectiveness of CROs to manage working relationships with investigative sites has slipped during the past two years, according to a new CenterWatch survey, with the average CRO falling below performance expectations in several critical areas including study monitoring and project support.
Top relationship concerns for sites include working with CROs that are responsive to their needs, have well-trained monitors empowered to answer their questions and pay them in a timely fashion. Yet one out of every five sites expressed being unhappy with the quality of their relationships with the average CRO. In fact, investigators indicate the average CRO’s ability to deliver in each of the relationship attributes measured in the global 2013 CenterWatch survey has dropped since 2011.
R&D cuts by sponsors spur more collaboration, innovation
After decades of relentless increases, research and development spending by the top 12 pharmaceutical companies has leveled off at a collective $70 billion annually since 2008.
Now, it appears to be headed for a controlled free fall. Pfizer is making the biggest retrenchment of all, having announced in 2011 plans to incrementally slash its R&D budget from $9.4 billion to $6.5 billion as its disease focus narrows. Other industry standard bearers, including AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline, also have been ratcheting down spending.
Also in this issue:
- Implications of FDA draft guidance: Evaluating site adequacy
- Examining the reproducibility crisis
- Regulatory Update
- Month in Review
- FDA Actions
- Study Lead Opportunities
- New Drugs in the Pipeline