Asia Pacific still a focus for Phase I trials says report

The Asia Pacific region has evolved into a major global market for early phase drug trials according to new analysis.

The research – sponsored by Australia-headquartered clinical research organization (CRO) Novotech - found that, in 2022, 58% of the approximately 3,600 Phase I trials initiated globally were carried out in Asia Pacific countries.

It also showed Asia Pacific has been the fastest growing region for Phase I trials for the past decade with a 10-year compound annual growth rate of 18%.

According to the report, authors “between 2018 and 2022, the region has had consistent performance and has been maintaining its majority share since 2018, with a peak of 61% share achieved in the year 2021.”

Mainland China, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and India were the top five Asian locations. Together they hosted over 50% of the global phase I trials.

Rapid recruitment

The authors suggested the Asia Pacific region is in demand because it offers the shortest patient enrolment durations and fastest recruitment rates.

“Asia Pacific region has a much wider patient base which expedites the patient time recruitment process and shortens the trial duration enabling initiation and completion of trials,” the authors wrote.

The report found that Asia Pacific also leads the phase I trials across the top therapeutic areas.

“Oncology, infectious disease, CNS, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders are the top therapeutic areas of Phase I trials across the top Asian locations of China, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and India."

The authors added that, “of all the five locations put together, China occupies the major share – greater than 80% - of phase I trials in all the top therapeutic areas considered together.”

Cell and gene therapies

The report also suggested Asia Pacific is becoming a major market for cell and gene therapy studies.
According to the authors the region already accounts for over a third of cell and gene therapy trial activity and shows a much faster growth rate for such studies compared to other regions.

In addition, the Asia Pacific region is the leading location globally for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T trials with China attracting around 60% of all CAR-T trials conducted globally between 2015 and 2022.

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