Written by:
Vice President, Development Operations, Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease
Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals Clinical Operations, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca
Vice President, Late-Stage Oncology, Clinical Operations, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca
Chief Medical Officer, Oncology Chief Development Officer, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca
Clinical trials are foundational to the development of new medicines. From uncovering signals that may lead to potential groundbreaking therapies, to refining delivery mechanisms for treatments and identifying combination therapies, these rigorous studies drive advancements that shape healthcare. Every treatment breakthrough we rely on—from diabetes management to cancer therapies—has its roots in a clinical trial. And beyond their imperative role in determining the safety profile and efficacy of medicines, clinical trials may hold immense potential for individuals, offering hope and the prospect of new therapeutic options that can deliver better, more equitable health outcomes. At AstraZeneca, we harness this potential through a commitment to innovation and investment in our clinical trials.
Clinical trials as a form of healthcare
Though clinical trials are fundamental for medical advancement, their impact transcends scientific research. At their core, they represent hope, especially for people with conditions that have limited or even no treatment options. Clinical trial participants often receive close, personalised monitoring from expert medical teams, ensuring they receive a high level of care. And clinical trials provide access to investigational treatments that are potentially years away from public availability, giving patients an opportunity to have early access to novel therapies that may transform their lives. In disease settings like cancer, this early access can be critical to some patients who may go through multiple lines of therapy throughout the course of their disease.
Living with a rare disease is inherently inequitable. There is limited scientific consensus due to a lack of available research. But through clinical trials, patients are offered access to investigative therapies that not only build onto scientific consensus, but also offer the potential to improve outcomes for rare diseases with high unmet needs.
At AstraZeneca, we are dedicated to clinical research that drives the development of potentially innovative and life-changing medicines and have a long-standing commitment to make information about our clinical research publicly available. We believe that being transparent about our research and development, including our clinical trials, serves the best interests of patients, their relatives, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers and the public.
Advancing public health through clinical trials
Participating in clinical trials gives patients the opportunity to access investigative treatments that could improve their health while playing a key role in advancing scientific research. But the data and insights generated from these studies hold potential for more. By deepening our understanding of various conditions, clinical research can reshape how we approach care on a population level, paving the way for better care and stronger global health systems.
It’s more than participation – it’s a chance to make a real difference for the future of healthcare.
Furthermore, improving access to clinical trials can improve health equity. Historically, clinical trials have often not fully represented demographic and genetic differences across populations. But by engaging clinical trial participants from communities around the world, we are building trust and ensuring that treatments are informed by all people who may need them.
When clinical trial participants are representative of the very people impacted by disease, the resulting therapies are better equipped to meet the unique needs of different patients and communities. This representation is crucial to fully characterise the safety profile and efficacy of our medicines for the populations who will use them.
Driving innovation in clinical trials
We are living in an extraordinary era where innovation, often driven by technology, is shaping the future of healthcare. Participating in a clinical trial is no small undertaking, and we aim to match that effort by constantly evolving the methods by which we design and deliver them. Using digital tools and AI, we are reimagining patient-centric clinical trials to better serve both patients and scientific research.
This innovation spans a variety of approaches, including:
- Using platform studies to evaluate multiple treatments at once to match the right patient with the right treatment
- Developing novel trial endpoints and designing clinical trials with insights from patients
- Enabling remote patient monitoring to lower the burden for patients who may have difficulty travelling to trial sites
- Embedding AI in our workstreams to increase the probability of clinical success, make development faster and more effective, and improve trial experience for participants and providers
No matter the approach, our focus remains clear: reduce patient and site burden and bring innovative medicines to patients as quickly as possible to reduce the burden of disease, all while keeping patients at the centre of everything we do.
Every clinical trial is an investment in the future. Each clinical trial generates invaluable insights that deepen our understanding of health, creating a shared foundation of knowledge for researchers, healthcare professionals and patients. By serving as both a healthcare option and a catalyst for progress, clinical trials play a crucial role in improving outcomes for patients and their caregivers worldwide.
