Insight into 2020’s clinical trials landscape

Based on an early preview of clinical trials planned to start and finish this year, unsurprisingly, oncology is set to dominate much of the activity, according to data analytics company GlobalData. 

In addition, industry-sponsored trials are expected to dominate the planned clinical trial landscape in 2020, accounting for 61.9 percent of studies. Regardless of sponsorship, oncology represents the top therapy area, with Eli Lilly and Novartis reporting the most planned trials of the industry-sponsored group.

Mohamed Abukar, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, commented: "In oncology, a majority of the studies are in Phase I and Phase II. A large number of early-stage clinical trials within this field are likely to be due to the demand for novel therapeutic approaches addressing unmet medical need, which can be achieved through investigations in the clinical setting."

Seventy percent of the top ten indications lie within the oncology therapeutic area, with the most trials planned for solid tumours by industry sponsors. Planned clinical trials for other top oncology indications are also predominately industry sponsored, highlighting the overall dominance of industry within early stage clinical investigations for oncology.

Abukar said: "This is attributed to the manner in which the burden of cancer worldwide necessitates industry investment to allow for capitalisation on the increasing market size."

Increase in monoclonal antibody clinical trials

GlobalData’s analysis of non-marketed, innovator pharmaceutical products in Phase I–III development by industry sponsors reveals that four of the top seven non-marketed drugs are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). This illustrates the rising interest in these agents, particularly within the oncology research area. Zymeworks’ mAb ZW-25 and Kodiak Sciences’ mAb KSI-301 hold the equivalent highest number of trials to be initiated for drugs in development.

The US dominates the research space for trials planned to start in 2020, accounting for almost the same number of trials as the rest of the top ten nations combined. China holds second place, followed by Australia, France, Canada and the UK.

More non-industry trials will complete this year

Shifting focus to clinical trials due for completion in 2020, GlobalData finds that the greatest proportion of trials are currently in Phase II, while Phase IV trials follow, narrowly outnumbering Phase I trials. There are more non industry-sponsored trials with a projected completion date in 2020 than industry sponsored trials, with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center having the most trials projected for completion. Novartis is the industry sponsor with the highest amount of trials with a 2020 projected completion date. 

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