Big pharmas join clinical research marketplace

Inato, a global industry marketplace that matches research sites to the right clinical trial protocols, announced over 500 sites across more than 30 countries are participating in its Marketplace. Sanofi and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany have also joined the Marketplace, which Inato says will further its mission to accelerate the pace of medical innovation to improve people’s lives.

Using a data-driven approach—coupled with a high-touch qualification and support process—the Inato Marketplace provides research sites the opportunity to search and match for trials based on their qualifications, interests, and patient needs. By matching sites and trials on a global scale, the Marketplace enables trial sponsors to work with a broader range of qualified sites and rapidly expand the pool of patients engaged in their trials.

Legislation targets research relief

Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have introduced the Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act to authorize nearly $25 billion in support to US researchers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although coronavirus-related research is a current federal government priority, most other research has been delayed due to closures of campuses and laboratories. The people who comprise the research workforce—graduate students, postdocs, principal investigators, and technical support staff—face financial and other hardships from the disruption of their research activities. The RISE Act would provide necessary relief to preserve the current scientific workforce and ensure that the US is prepared to continue its global scientific leadership once this crisis ends.

Benchmark for sites post-Brexit

GCSA Intrinsic is supporting the UK clinical research industry by providing an internationally-recognized quality benchmark for sites focused on attracting commercial clinical trials.

The GCSA gold standard has been ratified by a global advisory board of industry experts from a broad range of global and UK organizations. According to Board members, GCSA will either enhance existing standards that some UK research centers have, or it will help improve and raise the standards of those centers that are trying to build their research capacity, thus allowing these centers to promote themselves as global competitors

Jazz acquires GW Pharmaceuticals

Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc and GW Pharmaceuticals plc have entered into a definitive agreement for Jazz to acquire GW for $220 per American Depositary Share (ADS), in the form of $200 in cash and $20 in Jazz ordinary shares, for a total consideration of $7.2 billion, or $6.7 billion net of GW cash. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter.

The combined company will be among the leaders in neuroscience. GW has a scientific platform and a deep pipeline of cannabinoid product candidates, as well as highly specialized manufacturing expertise. GW’s lead product, Epidiolex oral solution, is approved in patients one-year and older for the treatment of seizures.

—Staff and wire reports