Patient-centric model driving pharma service sector interest in DTP trial drug delivery
Marken revealed it had extended its deal with GlobalCare – a provider of direct to patient trials services – earlier today, explaining that the firms’ 2012 collaboration now includes 80 active clinical trials in 45 counties.
The North Carolina, US logistics services firm cited the pharmaceutical industries’ desire for accelerated patient recruitment and improved retention as drivers for the business.
Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) was also a factor in the expansion of Marken’s DTP business.
The firm said the South Korean Government’s decision to grant it permission to deliver trial drugs to patients’ home in July – the first time such activity has been permitted – had allowed clinical research to continue despite the MERS outbreak.
Patient-centric
News of the expanded relationship comes a week after Norther Ireland-based Almac announced it was launching its DTP service in Europe, citing demand and the success this part of its business has seen in North America is key drivers for the move.
At the time an Almac spokeswoman told the DTP service being launched in the UK, Germany, Spain, Poland, Italy, Hungary, France, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Belgium and the Netherlands is a two-step process.
“The drug is always shipped to site and then couriered to the patient home from site. Customers can only use the service if they have submitted a DTP request in the study submissions therefore the service can only be used in new studies moving forward.”
Patient-centric clinical trials are a hot topic for sponsors and the contract services sector at the moment.
In April, industry think tank Transcelerate Biopharma said it was using the concept of ‘patient centricity’ and connectivity to influence the clinical trial environment.
