The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created an unprecedented global health crisis and all industry sectors are working to assess both the impact and the optimal path forward. While some biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies are rising to the challenge and working to develop potentially effective therapies and vaccines for COVID-19, many who are focused on other therapeutic areas are working to identify the best strategies to keep their clinical development programmes on track or to rapidly restructure them.

Impaired access to the healthcare system, travel restrictions, guidance from regulatory agencies and a shift in healthcare resources to address the COVID-19 pandemic are having a wide-ranging and immediate impact on the initiation and completion of hundreds of clinical trials involving investigational therapies for many serious diseases. As these plans are being developed, there are many uncertainties about what the future holds, as well as the longerterm implications on clinical research in terms of timing, patient identification and access, design and protocols. Experts from the Life Sciences Practice at the global consulting firm CRA conducted a recent analysis involving interviews with a range of industry stakeholders including regulatory and policy experts, venture capitalists and contract research organisations (CROs) to try to better understand both the short- and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on clinical development programmes.

Source: www.pmlive.com