“The definition of eClinical is changing”, Martin Young, senior vice president (SVP) of integration and product strategy at Phase Forward, explained to Outsourcing-Pharma, adding that the company has spent the past few years equipping itself for this new marketplace.
In recent years the market for electronic data capture (EDC) has grown significantly and the majority of clinical trials now use the system. This has been a boon for eClinical companies, and helped them through the downturn, but Young believes the market is approaching saturation.
The EDC market will continue to grow for a couple more years, according to Young and Phase Forward has been expanding its portfolio to prepare for the slowing of demand and meet evolving client requirements.
Young explained that as EDC adoption has increased clients have begun asking about integrated solutions. This process has been accelerated by the recent focus on the cost effectiveness of all areas of operations at contract research organisations (CRO) and pharmas.
Phase Forward has spent the past few years expanding and developing its portfolio and Young said the addition of its integrated clinical research suite (ICRS) is the culmination of this effort.
Young believes Phase Forward’s ICRS offers everything a client currently needs and consequently in 2010 the company will focus on enhancing individual products and improving integration, instead of major launches.
Phase Forward’s ICRS allows companies to streamline their operations, according to Young who added that numerous benefits and economies are realised by using a single provider for multiple tasks.
Having one company to integrate all products should be more efficient and, importantly for pharma and CROs, more accountable. This is reinforced by having one help desk to deal with any issues.