UK to open commercial research delivery centers to boost clinical trials
The UK will set up 18 clinical trial “hubs” through a £400 million ($525 million) public-private investment program designed to attract more commercial drug trials and improve patient access to new therapies.
Plans for the hubs were confirmed in a joint statement by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Office for Life Sciences, which said the aim is to increase opportunities for people to participate in commercial trials.
“The program will allocate 75% of its investment to expand the UK’s capacity and capability for commercial clinical trials. Up to 18 new commercial research delivery centers (CRDCs) will be established across the four nations to enhance and build upon the UK’s commercial clinical trials infrastructure and support patient recruitment into trials.
“Researchers will also have increased access to the latest equipment and technology to enable innovative trials to be designed across hospital and primary, community, and residential care settings, bringing research closer to communities across the UK,” according to the statement.
The remainder of the money will be spent on “sustainable manufacturing initiatives, promoting efficiency and reducing waste and emissions,” and “modernizing HTA [health technology assessment] processes.” An HTA is the mechanism the UK uses to weigh the cost and clinical effectiveness of candidate treatments.
The investment is part of the wider Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicine Pricing, Access, and Growth (VPAG) program outlined by the then conservative government last December.
This aligns with the findings of last year’s review of the UK’s commercial clinical trial infrastructure.
Richard Torbett, CEO of UK drug industry group ABPI, said, “The investment program supports the government’s missions to kickstart economic growth, and improving the UK’s clinical trials will also help attract further global investment.”
Nicola Perrin, CEO of the Association of Medical Research Charities, emphasized the potential benefits for patients. “Clinical trials save and improve lives. They enable early access to innovative therapies and provide a lifeline to patients, particularly where no other treatment options are available.”
Unsplash/Rodion Kutsaiev