AZ incorporates Cytel software into trials

Cytel’s software engineers have worked with AstraZeneca on its in-house clinical data system, improving data handling and ensuring compliance with Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) guidelines.

Since the collaboration began AstraZeneca says its clinical trial efficiency and the security of its data have improved, prompting the pharma to expand its use of the software.

Maria Johansson, business tools manager at AstraZeneca said: “Cytel’s customized version of East for AstraZeneca is now fully integrated with our clinical data system eliminating any manual data handling and better facilitating the data analysis process. This new automation also helps us maintain the integrity of the interim data, reducing the risk of unintentional un-blinding​.”

Cytel will customise its East software to the needs of the client but its core benefit is the large number of clinical trial designs it offers, which guides planners to achieve the optimal set-up for their study.

Adaptive clinical trials​

Cytel has positioned itself to provide software and services for the growing adaptive clinical trials market. The sector has been gaining pace as companies look for methods to legitimately accelerate the drug development process.

By examining early results at the half way stage of a trial its design can be modified or the study cancelled, potentially resulting in cost and time savings for the company.

This is particularly attractive for small, venture capital funded companies, which cannot afford to continue with a trial that is destined to fail.