Central laboratory services play a key role in drug development, offering the accuracy, efficiency, and dependability required for research and development.
As centralized facilities for sample process, analysis, and interpretation, central labs are vital for clinical trials. But when choosing a central lab partner, how can trial investigators and sponsors ensure they receive the required level of expertise and capabilities?
In this article, we discuss selecting a central lab for clinical trials; describing the role of a central lab in clinical trials, before outlining the key capabilities required in a central lab partner.
The Role of Central Labs in Clinical Trials
The comprehensive, controlled, and standardized facilities that central labs are able to offer make them an obvious choice for clinical trials, which rely on the quality of patient data obtained through sample collection and analysis.
Set up specifically to manage patient samples , central labs can offer a much more specialized service compared to the smaller scope of local labs. Central labs offer advantages in several aspects of clinical trials, including:
Study Set-Up and Management
Central labs support the set-up and management stages of studies.
Working alongside trial investigators and sponsors, central labs align study objectives and methods with their standard operating procedures (SOPs), developing and implementing protocols and safety procedures for sample collection, handling, and storage. Central labs can also feed their expertise into the process of test kit development.
Once a clinical trial is underway, central labs offer advice on laboratory activities; tracking the progress of sample collection, liaising with study sites, and communicating any issues with sponsors.
Securing Sample Integrity
Central labs support sample processing, using their state-of-the-art equipment to manage data in a standardized, streamlined fashion that local labs would struggle to match.
In activities such as sample analysis and data processing, employing controlled storage procedures is imperative. Aside from using the latest, specialized equipment, central labs also offer the benefit of skilled technicians who are well-versed in the standardized protocols required for sample processing in clinical trials. These advantages of central labs give trial investigators greater confidence in the accuracy of the results which inform study findings, quality assurance, regulatory compliance and sponsor satisfaction.
Central Lab Capabilities
When choosing a clinical trial partner, it is important to fully understand the resources possessed by a central lab. Ensure that the central lab you work with can meet your expectations relating to logistics, data management, trial support, kit building and communications.
Cerba Research is renowned for giving clinical trials the benefit of the following capabilities:
Global Reach
Cerba Research can support our partners wherever, and whenever, they need it, thanks to our global network of central labs.
Our end-to-end central labs span five continents – North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa – with dedicated project managers ready to handle the entire clinical trial process; from study set-up to site preparation, through to sample collection and delivery. Our project managers develop an understanding of each study’s nuances and take a customer-centric approach to supporting clinical trials.
We also offer a single global database for results access, giving trial investigators the advantage of real time access to analyse clinical end-point reports when they need them.
Data Management
With clinical protocols increasing in complexity, the importance of a centralized data hub has never been more pertinent in clinical trials.
Cerba Research offers a wealth of reporting capabilities, providing sponsors with valuable insights thanks to the latest reporting tools. Our intelligent data management solutions not only increase the efficiency of trials, they also inform decision-making and give each stakeholder convenient access to information during and after a trial.
End-to-End Capabilities
Cerba Research supports clinical trials from the outset of the planning stage – including the selection and set up of global central labs – through to protocols, trial management, data collection, reporting, and analysis. It’s a truly seamless, end-to-end central lab service that gives clinical trials the foundation for successful outcomes.
We believe in collaboration, and are ready to advise on all aspects of clinical trials, including patient cohorts, testing protocols, and assay development. Thanks to our experienced clinical trial operations specialists, science experts, and project managers, biotech and pharma sponsors can rest assured that they have a complete package for central lab research.
Customer Focus
Efficient clinical trials rely on effective communication. Cerba Research is a central lab partner that puts the highest value on building relationships with our clients. We favor a customer-focused, personalized approach to project management. Our team of scientists is always available to answer questions from trial investigators or sponsors, offering tailored support.
What can clinical trials expect from Cerba Research as a customer-centric central lab provider? We provide ourselves on offering a personalized, flexible approach, which is possible from an agile, mid-size provider. But as a global leader, trials benefit from our unmatched expertise, attention to detail, proven protocols, and performance monitoring.
Ultimately, we understand the smooth running of a clinical trial relies on effective collaboration. As an extension of your team, we enable successful studies that achieve the ultimate objective of improving patients’ lives.
In-House Kit Building
In-house kit building allows us to customize to suit your clinical study specific requirements ensuring the best performance. This delivers the following benefits:
- Quality control: we have greater control over the quality of components and the entire testing process leading to more reliable and reproducible results.
- Flexibility and innovation: by building kits in house this allows us to stay agile and adapt quickly to changes in demand and your research requirements we can incorporate the latest innovations so we remain at the forefront.
- Reducing dependency with external suppliers: this allows us to reduce procurement costs and avoid potential delays in procurement giving us greater autonomy to serve the needs of your clinical trial.
Global Laboratory Services
The wide reach of Cerba Research’s lab network gives clinical trials several advantages over partnering with multiple laboratory vendors. Not only do central labs deliver the benefits of quality assurance and standardization, but partnering with a global lab network also puts less strain on resources.
Cerba Research offers clinical trials a single contract for central lab services, augmented by project management, partner lab management, and operational onboarding.
Why Cerba Research?
Ensure that your central lab partner can provide harmonized protocols, centralized data reporting and analysis, and total project support. Choose Cerba Research and keep your clinical trial on track.
Do you require support for your clinical trial? Get in touch with us today.
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