SCOPE Summit 2025: Emmes' Peter Ronco on Small Biopharma & Clinical Trial Partnerships

ACT: Today, you were a part of the Choosing the Right Allies: Ensuring Clinical Trial Success for Small Biopharma session. Can you provide a brief synopsis of what the session entailed?

Ronco: When we kicked off this morning, Andy Lee spoke in the main session about how he has leveraged Merck and their clinical trial development group to execute a portfolio of work. That model works well for Merck—they have the money and resources. However, many mid-sized and small biotechs don’t have that level of funding and can’t afford to hire thousands of CROs.

This morning, we discussed the rules of engagement: how small biotechs should approach outsourcing, select the right providers, and build successful partnerships.

ACT: What are the key criteria small biopharma companies should prioritize when selecting a clinical trial partner?

Ronco: During the session, I outlined seven key rules to consider when engaging with a partner. One example is what I call the Goldilocks principle—you want a partner that is big enough to run your program, with a presence in key countries and all necessary capabilities, but small enough to provide the care and attention a small biotech deserves. It’s about finding that middle ground.

Another crucial factor is transparency around financial constraints. Many biotechs aren’t necessarily aiming to bring a product to market immediately; they’re focused on generating proof-of-concept data or advancing to the end of Phase II to secure additional funding or licensing deals. Engaging with partners upfront to ensure they understand these goals is essential.

Finally, we discussed what makes a strong partnership—not just selecting the right partner but also being the right partner. Clinical development is inherently unpredictable. Delays, budget overruns, and unforeseen challenges are inevitable. How you collaborate with your partner through these obstacles is critical. Establishing alignment and a strong cultural fit from the outset lays the foundation for a successful relationship.

Full Interview Summary: The session focused on how small biopharma companies can successfully select and collaborate with clinical trial partners despite having limited resources compared to large pharmaceutical companies. Andy Lee highlighted Merck’s approach to clinical trial development, emphasizing that small biotechs must take a different path due to financial constraints and smaller operational teams.

Key considerations for selecting the right clinical trial partners include striking a balance between size and attention—choosing a provider that is large enough to execute the trial effectively but small enough to provide personalized support. Transparency about financial limitations is also critical, as many small biotechs are not aiming for immediate commercialization but rather generating proof-of-concept data to secure further funding or partnerships.

Common risks in partnering include being deprioritized by large CROs, overspending on unnecessary top-tier technology, and failing to clearly define which capabilities should be outsourced versus retained in-house. Companies should invest in core internal roles like project managers and statisticians while leveraging external partners for additional support.

To scale efficiently, small biotechs should focus on selecting long-term partners who can grow with them, reducing the disruption of switching providers between trials. Industry expectations for CROs and trial partners are evolving, with an increasing focus on automation, patient-centric strategies, and diversity in recruitment. For smaller companies, a key differentiator in selecting partners is how quickly and effectively issues are resolved when challenges arise.

Ultimately, success in clinical trial partnerships hinges on strategic partner selection, transparent collaboration, and alignment of capabilities to ensure trial execution remains efficient and goal-oriented.