This September Dr. Natalia Nayanova, Accell’s co-founder and Director of Clinical Operations, attended the largest Nordic partnering conference dedicated to the life science industry which is Nordic Life Science Days. The conference was held in Malmo, Sweden on September 12-14, 2017. Since its inception in 2013, the event has nurtured a community of people from the world of life science and created a unique place to do business.

Natalia has met with colleagues and collaborators and discussed many aspects of successful clinical trials in Eastern Europe and Russia. One of the focal points of discussions was site selection and feasibility.

It’s not a secret that a key to running a successfully recruiting international clinical trial is getting exactly the right sites and the right countries on board. A robust, strong feasibility study is paramount. A strategy should be developed as the first step in this process, which encompasses multiple aspects of development such as marketing goals of the Sponsor, competitive landscape, regulatory suitability, standards of care and drug supply chain, regional specifics of medical care, patient outreach and overall timelines, just to name a few. This takes close CRO-Sponsor collaboration, and after a strategy has been established, the groundwork of looking into specific clinical sites can begin. The importance of asking the right questions and developing a relationship with investigators in regards to a specific trial should not be underestimated. Creating a collaborative professional environment at the outset positively influences subsequent work and helps identify the most suitable sites. With a frequently cited statistic of nearly one-third of sites never recruiting a single patient in a clinical study, it becomes apparent that the role of a meticulous site selection and a solid patient recruitment strategy are critical first steps to success.

Recognizing the need for strong feasibility services, Accell has a standalone service for strategy and site selection. The feasibility work is led by our clinical specialists with physician (MD) qualification, ensuring that site communication is most effective and relationships are built on a highly professional, medical level. On average we turn around 80-90 sites in 3-4 weeks, making us one of the most efficient and meticulous providers of this standalone service.

Accell focuses on performance and helps companies reach their clinical study recruitment goals by providing clinical services in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Ukraine.