The need for speed in clinical trials is becoming a strategic imperative for sponsors, with looming patent cliffs, rising R&D investment, increasing innovation competition and patient demand forcing a rethink on how quickly trials can be delivered.

While being first to introduce new innovations to market offers a clear advantage, as trial designs evolve and drug compounds advance, crossing the finish line ahead of the competition is becoming more difficult. It is also dependent on a range of factors, a key one being the efficiency and effectiveness of the clinical supply chain tasked with ensuring the right patients receive the right drugs at the right time and in the right condition.

In today’s market, sponsors are turning to technology to optimise processes and mitigate risk, and the clinical supply chain is no exception. Supply chain systems underpin modern clinical trials, helping sponsors assure timely supply to sites and patients. Yet when they operate in silos, when data held in one digital supply chain system isn’t reflected in another or representative of the physical supply chain, cracks appear that compromise visibility and control. This restricts the ability to make fast and informed decisions to limit waste, keep timelines on track, and patient access open.

Sponsors can no longer afford to operate with fragmented supply chain systems. Prioritising connected, automated and intelligent technology is what will fuel the next chapter of drug development.