goBalto Activate chosen by ICON for Global Site Activation, Automation and Process Improvement

ICON implements Activate to accelerate study startup by reducing manual processes

SAN FRANCISCO, December 9, 2015 -- goBalto, Inc., the leading provider of cloud-based clinical study startup solutions, announced today that ICON has chosen goBalto to further bolster ICON’s clinical study startup process on a worldwide basis.

ICON is using goBalto’s flagship product, Activate, for all global studies spanning more than 50 countries. ICON is benefiting from Activate’s robust library of country-specific workflows and management-based approach to site activation and has already integrated Activate with its CTMS and data warehouse, and has plans to integrate with its eTMF system.

Combining ICON’s improved processes and practices with Activate allows ICON to streamline study startup, provide real-time status updates to the entire clinical study team, and eliminate “hidden” communications created by relying on email and manual spreadsheets. ICON engages collaboratively with investigator sites using Activate to improve the communication process and to ultimately minimize the time to obtain critical documents.

Now with access to at-a-glance critical path study and country level reports, ICON brings enhanced service to its pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device clients.

ICON is also using goBalto’s Analyze module for reporting and providing insight across multiple studies and regions. Along with Activate, Analyze provides real-time visibility into study startup, making it easier to quantify team performance and discover meaningful patterns in study startup data.

Marie Keegan, VP and Global Functional Head, Study Start Up at ICON stated, “Accelerating study startup timelines is a key component of our ICONIK Informatics Hub strategy which combines industry leading technologies with best practices to help our clients take time and cost from their development programs. Following a comprehensive review of ourstudy startup activities, we adopted a range of new processes and procedures that have streamlined our site activation.We supplemented this with the capabilities of goBalto’s Activate and Analyze to drive our study startup process, and are seeing significant positive impact on cycle time, quality and productivity as a result.”

“The life sciences industry has recognized study startup as one of the worst performing areas in clinical trials,” said Jae Chung, goBalto’s founder and president. “ICON is taking the lead in automating a cumbersome industry process, with the goal of getting medicines to those in need faster.”

About ICON plc

ICON plc is a global provider of outsourced development solutions and services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. The company specializes in the strategic development, management and analysis of programs that support clinical development - from compound selection to Phase I-IV clinical studies. With headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, ICON currently operates from 77 locations in 38 countries and has approximately 11,700 employees. Further information is available at www.iconplc.com.

About goBalto

goBalto develops next-generation solutions that simplify and accelerate clinical study startup in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. Our management team has over 100 years of combined experience in the life sciences industry and enterprise software implementation. Our team has worked for such companies as Amgen, Genentech, Quintiles, Roche, Johnson & Johnson, and Model N. With a proven commitment to customer success, disruption, and study startup optimization, we’re changing the way our leading global pharma and CRO customers approach their business processes. Based in San Francisco, California, we have satellite offices in Pennsylvania and Singapore. For more information, visit www.gobalto.com.