PPD, Science 37 Partner to Advance Decentralized Clinical Trials

PPD Inc., a global contract research organization (CRO), and Science 37, developer of the Decentralized Clinical Trial Operating System (DCT OS), announced an innovative collaboration in which PPD will be fully enabled to design, build, test, implement and execute digital trials using Science 37’s DCT SaaS-based technology platform.
 
The extended arrangement, which is a result of their successful two-year collaboration under Science 37’s CRO Certified program, will enable PPD Digital to utilize Science 37’s configurable, SaaS-based DCT technology platform to design and implement Remote eConsent, eCOA, eSource and fully decentralized trials, which will enhance the company’s efficiency and effectiveness in delivering studies for customers.
 
“Our success with Science 37 has positioned us well to implement and incorporate its technology platform into our clinical trial services model, which is on course with our efforts to maintain a leadership position in the global transition toward decentralized clinical trials,” said Niklas Morton, senior vice president, PPD Digital. “Our overall DCT strategy is to offer customers more trial delivery options, particularly in a stepwise fashion where the customer can experience both traditional and digital approaches to sites and patients in the same study. Through our evolving collaboration, we will be able to use the Science 37 platform to provide our customers with a best-in-class service and delivery model.”
 
PPD Digital provides flexible trial solutions across the decentralized spectrum to increase patient access and improve the patient experience, resulting in time efficiencies and data quality enhancements that can help speed development timelines. These services significantly reduce the burden for patients, mainly through fewer site visits, while providing clients with greater geographic reach through reduced reliance on sites, more timely access to data, improved quality and consistency, and better patient engagement.
 
“Science 37 intends to be the operating system to enable all decentralized clinical trials,” said Steve Geffon, chief commercial officer of Science 37. “By enabling PPD Digital to utilize our innovative platform, we’re able to extend our reach and enable decentralization on more trials than ever before. Our new SaaS-based technology makes it easy to deploy Remote eConsent, eCOA, eSource and fully decentralized trials, even when it’s not part of the complete Science 37 DCT Operating System, which includes patient communities, telemedicine investigators, mobile nurses, remote coordinators and connected devices.”
 
In March, PPD was recognized for industry leadership in digital and decentralized clinical trial solutions by Information Services Group (ISG), a leading global technology research and advisory firm. ISG named PPD an ISG Provider Lens Leader for the CRO’s digital transformation services, specifically PPD’s clinical development and patient engagement solutions.
 
In 2019, PPD led the series D financing round for Science 37 and created a partnership to offer virtual sites that can augment traditional brick-and-mortar sites. This early investment has enabled PPD to solution protocol development and protocol adjustment processes to facilitate DCT design flexibility; optimize the study startup process and workflow to ensure faster site activation timelines; leverage the PPD business Accelerated Enrollment Solutions to maximize patient recruitment potential; and integrate data acquisition at sites with PPD’s data management and Preclarus® platform to ensure real-time data access across all sites.