'India will play a vital role in global clinical research market'

With the need for rapid rollout of new drugs, the clinical trials segment has seen several new trends such as technology adoption, decentralized trials, and so on. In an interview to Nagesh Joshi, Krutikesh Age, Co-founder, DPHS elaborates the latest trends in this space and how the segment will look like in the near future. Excerpts of the interview:

- Krutikesh Age

Q. What are the trends in India's clinical trials market?

The regulatory authorities have become stringent in enforcing safety and ethical standards in clinical trials. Sponsors and CROS are now investing more in quality control measures to ensure compliance with these standards. Digital technologies such as electronic data capture (EDC), e-consent, and telemedicine are being increasingly used in clinical trials in India. These technologies not only improve data accuracy and patient safety but also reduce costs and increase efficiency.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of decentralized trials in India. Sponsors and CROS are exploring innovative ways to conduct trials remotely, such as home-based monitoring and virtual site visits. There also is a growing trend towards the emergence of niche CROs in India that specialize in specific therapeutic areas. These CROS have knowledge and expertise in their respective areas and they aim at provide better value to sponsors.

Collaboration between academia, industry, and government is growing in India. There is a focus on developing strategic partnerships to drive innovation and bring new drugs to the market faster.

There is a growing focus on patient centricity. Companies are involving patients in the design of their trials, seeking feedback to ensure that their trials are conducted in a patient-friendly manner.

Q. What has been the impact of Covid-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the clinical trials scenario in India. The pandemic has disrupted the conduct of clinical trials globally, including in India. Due to lockdowns and restrictions on travel, many clinical trial sites were temporarily closed, resulting in delays in ongoing trials.