Europe falling behind US and China in clinical trials market
European involvement in clinical trials has reduced over the past few years, with fewer developers choosing to test drugs in the region, says drug industry group EFPIA.
Europe – more specifically the 30 countries that make up the European Economic Area (EEA) – played host to 12% of commercial studies last year, down from 18% in 2018, according to an analysis conducted by IQVIA on EFPIA and Vaccines Europe’s behalf.
The decline in studies conducted in the EEA contrasts markedly with the pattern seen in China, which now hosts 18% of all commercial clinical trials.
According to the authors, “The loss of share to China could be linked to a more favorable regulatory and funding environment for Phase I and cell and gene therapy trials, where Europe has seen a particular decline in trial starts.”
The authors also linked the decline in trials conducted in the EEA to increased activity in the US, suggesting slower recruitment rates seen in Europe are to blame.
“The loss of share to US could be driven by trial start-up timelines. This research suggests regulatory approval timelines are not the greatest differential between US and Europe, but instead, patient recruitment times in Europe may be impacting the attractiveness of Europe as a trial location.”
Unified approach
The underlying reason for the decline is the disjointed nature of the EEA’s trial sector, according to Nathalie Moll, director general, EFPIA, who said the lack of clarity is putting developers off.
“European clinical trials are hampered by a slow and fragmented research ecosystem, and current initiatives, at the current pace, are insufficient to stop and reverse a decade of decline.
“For Europe to be competitive it needs to function as a unified region, not as individual member states and be supported by policies to attract global research investment. Only then will Europeans have the same opportunities to access medical breakthroughs as patients in other parts of the world,” she added.
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