How Do Central Labs Help Pharmaceutical Companies Conduct Clinical Trials More Efficiently?

Highlights:

• Introduction
• Importance of central labs in conducting clinical trials
• Ingenious product launches

A clinical trial of a drug, medication, or vaccine is probably the most important step in the manufacturing and marketing of that product. The main aim behind these trials is to test the efficacy of the drug, ensure its safety, and ascertain that it has no harmful side effects on the patient. Ultimately, these trials aid in preventing, diagnosing, or treating a particular disease. The demand for comprehensive clinical trials increased exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic period wherein several pharmaceutical companies and drug manufacturers were actively involved in R&D activities to design different kinds of vaccines. This increased the importance of central labs which act as the main hub for various medical research studies and projects.

Typically, a central lab offers several services, including sample accession, sequencing, data analysis and interpretation, and results delivery. All the documentation and logistical support needed to complete the processes involved in these services are also provided by the laboratory. Furthermore, the management of samples, data, and equipment falls within the purview of these research facilities.

Increasing importance of central labs in the global healthcare sector

In the post-pandemic period, almost all countries across the globe have invested heavily in the healthcare sector to improve the quality of medical services for their citizens. At the same time, private companies have focused on developing new infrastructure projects to expand the scope of the central lab industry. The market, which accounted for $3.3 billion in 2021, is anticipated to gather a revenue of $6 billion by 2031, rising at a CAGR of 6% during 2022-2031. Central laboratories have gained a lot of prominence in developed and developing countries mainly due to the wide range of medical services they offer as compared to local healthcare research facilities.

Another important factor influencing the growth of the industry is that central laboratories help authorities maintain harmonization and uniformity in their research processes, thereby ensuring adherence to global and national standards. Local facilities, on the other hand, are bound by norms and regulations enacted by regional authorities only, which creates problems regarding universal compliance. In events like the global pandemic, this causes problems as different testing standards lead to changes in human specimen collection activities, thus resulting in variability in clinical trial outcomes. Moreover, central labs are more frequently inspected by government authorities which helps them gain recognition and accreditation easily as compared to other research units.

Central labs cover a much wider and larger population base in comparison with local facilities. Naturally, the research and analysis carried out in central institutions is more detailed and nuanced. For instance, most of the studies commissioned on rare genetic diseases are currently being conducted in various leading central laboratories across the globe. Hence, medical experts, specialists, and pharmaceutical companies prefer working in these labs to test their drugs, conduct clinical trials, and publish reports. As a result, the credibility of these laboratories is much higher which, in turn, increases trust among the patients. In addition, the logistical facilities and other auxiliary services provided by central organizations are of a higher standard which ultimately improves the quality of clinical trials.

Launch of new research facilities by public and private companies improving the revenue share of the industry

In the last few years, government agencies have focused on improving the quality and expanding the reach of central laboratory services. For example, in January 2024, the Indian Government announced that it had given its approval to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), the national regulatory body for pharmaceuticals and drugs, to open its new office and a Central Drug Testing Laboratory (CDTL) site in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The press release stated that the primary aim behind this move was to improve medicine monitoring services across the nation.

On the other hand, private healthcare businesses have started integrating advanced technologies to broaden their central laboratory services, thereby increasing their footprint around the world. For example, LabCorp, a pharmaceutical company, unveiled its Labcorp Global Trial Connect, a digital platform to enhance the overall efficacy of clinical trials. Such product launches are predicted to accelerate the industry’s growth in the coming period.

In conclusion, the central lab industry is anticipated to witness huge growth in the near future due to the important role played by these research facilities in conducting various clinical trials. The standardization and harmonization provided by these laboratories help companies analyze and study the effect of their drugs and medication more effectively. In addition, the growing investments by leading players in the industry are expected to impact the landscape positively.

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