This unbiased and reliable report is one of the most trusted in the sector, helping to assess the various capabilities and performance of the top clinical research organizations / contract research organizations (CROs). If unfamiliar with ISR and their excellent reports, feel free to learn more about them here.
In this article, we review and share findings from ISRs latest Phase II/III CRO benchmarking report to provide you with some insights into the Top CRO companies driving today and tomorrow’s clinical research.
As you already know, selecting the right contract research organization for a clinical development program can sometimes mean the difference between success and failure. Although many generally offer a similar range of services, not all CROs are created equal. Moreover, each clinical development program has unique needs, and each sponsor has its own culture and expectations set for their chosen CRO partner.
In this analysis, we leverage ISRs data to identify the top 10 CROs that offer full-service, end-to-end clinical trial capabilities across a global footprint.
For their study, ISR gathered insights from 239 active, experienced Phase II/III outsourcers from North America (59%); Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA, 35%); and Asia-Pacific (APAC, 6%) regarding 846 CRO encounters and analyzed a variety of factors related to CRO selection.
The report also shares performance data for 33 CROs across four categories: delivery factors, staff characteristics, services, and project delivery across geographies. Among the CROs evaluated, 14 were reviewed by 10 or more respondents.
CRO Selection Criteria
A majority (54%) of respondents indicated their organizations have formal preferred provider agreements (PPAs) in place, with an average of four preferred providers. Respondents were asked to rank the criteria that matter most when selecting a CRO in three different scenarios (see Figure 1)1:
As you might expect, in every scenario, operational excellence, expectations for data quality, experience with similar study types, and metrics for meeting project timelines were identified among the most important attributes.
Based on the criteria identified by respondents to be most important in CRO selection, our approach to evaluating top contract research organizations was based on a combination of the following two qualities:
Only those CROs that offer full-service capabilities across a global footprint with 10 or more recent users are included in this analysis.
ISR measured performance based on 21 attributes, each ranked on a 5-point scale, across four categories (see Figure 2).
| CATEGORIES | ATTRIBUTES |
|---|---|
| Delivery Factors | • Data quality • Easy to work with • Local market/regulatory knowledge • Meeting overall project timelines • Operational excellence • Patient recruitment • Speed of site start-up • Technology for real-time access to data |
| Staff Characteristics | • Project manager quality • Staff turnover • Study design expertise • Therapeutic expertise • Timely project communications |
| Services | • Central lab • Biostatistics • Data management • Monitoring • Investigator recruitment |
| Project Delivery | • In North America • In Europe • In Asia-Pacific |
When totaling the scores across each of the four performance categories and the 21 attributes, Precision led the pack of high-performing CROs.2
ISR computed loyalty as an index comprising the following metrics, each rated on a scale of 1-10:
To generate our list of top contract research organizations, we used the simple sum of the overall performance score and average loyalty rating, giving each equal weight:
| RANK | CRO | PERFORMANCE | LOYALTY | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Precision for Medicine | 5.67 | 7.8 | 13.47 |
| 2 | ██████████████ | 5.42 | 7.2 | 12.62 |
| 3 | ██████████████ | 3.87 | 7.4 | 11.27 |
| 4 | ██████████████ | 2.60 | 7.3 | 9.90 |
| 5 | ██████████████ | 2.50 | 7.1 | 9.60 |
| 6 | ██████████████ | 1.81 | 7.2 | 9.01 |
| 7 | ██████████████ | 1.60 | 7.0 | 8.60 |
| 8 | ██████████████ | 1.50 | 6.0 | 8.40 |
| 9 | ██████████████ | 0.69 | 7.0 | 7.69 |
| 10 | ██████████████ | 0.50 | 6.9 | 7.40 |
We feel honored and take great pride to be recognized by ISR’s report which also informed Clinical Leader’s 2023 CRO Leadership Awards. Precision for Medicine is a global, full-service next-generation clinical research organization that is purpose-built to shift the development curve by integrating clinical excellence and translational capabilities with advanced data sciences to deliver deeper insights at every stage of development.
Since our inception in 2012, we have focused on cultivating the right talent, capabilities, methodologies, and technologies to help life science pioneers deliver the most advanced therapies to those who need them most. Having only been included in the ISR Phase II/III CRO Benchmarking survey for the past two years, we are honored to have been recognized by our clients for top performance, customer loyalty, and satisfaction with value received.
To learn more about how Precision for Medicine combines end-to-end capabilities, global teams, and proprietary technologies to strategically enhance key milestones across the development lifecycle, click here.
Industry Standard Research is the premier, full-service market research provider to the pharma and pharma services industries. With over a decade of experience, ISR delivers an unmatched level of domain expertise. For more information about ISR’s off-the-shelf intelligence and custom research offerings, please visit the company’s Web site at www.ISRreports.com.
John Colby, Vice President of Marketing for Precision for Medicine's Clinical Solutions business unit, possesses 20 years of seasoned expertise in the clinical research sector. Having specialized in CRO sales, proposals, and marketing, his accomplishments range from establishing robust preferred provider relationships to transforming proposal and marketing strategies for multiple CROs.
Precision for Medicine is part of the Precision Medicine Group, an integrated team of experts that extends Precision for Medicine’s therapeutic development capabilities beyond approval and into launch strategies, marketing communication, and payer insights. As one company, the Precision Medicine Group helps pharmaceutical and life-sciences clients conquer product development and commercialization challenges in a rapidly evolving environment.
