RALEIGH, N.C., July 27, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- INC Research Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:INCR), a leading, global Phase I to IV contract research organization, today announced the launch of the Company’s Vaccine Catalyst Site network as part of its Catalyst program introduced earlier this year to strengthen collaborations with clinical research sites worldwide, ultimately enhancing patient focus and optimizing study delivery to drive improved predictability and increased efficiency for customers. INC selected 40 high-performing clinical research sites to participate in the initial launch of its Vaccine Catalyst Site network, which was formed to respond to the rapid growth and strong pipeline of vaccine studies.
“INC recognizes the urgent and growing public heath need for new and better vaccines based on the global impact of emerging infections such as Ebola and the Zika virus,” said Judith Ng-Cashin, MD, Chief Scientific Officer. “Our focus is on supporting our customers in the development of innovative new therapies to address this important patient need, making vaccine clinical research as efficient as possible to facilitate rapid product approvals.”
“Because vaccines need to be developed as quickly as possible to be effective, INC’s ability to collaborate efficiently with clinical research sites in the development of these new therapies is crucial,” added Clare Grace, PhD, Vice President, Site and Patient Access. "This is where our focus on site relationships and therapeutic alignment is a huge asset, because INC has in place deep partnerships with known and trusted sites and investigators across the globe. Our Vaccine Catalyst Site network takes these relationships one step further by offering a new model for collaboration creating true and measurable benefits for sites, customers and ultimately patients.”
INC Research’s Catalyst Vaccine Site network was developed to deliver meaningful benefits to all stakeholders in vaccine research with the ultimate goal of maintaining maximum choice for patients interested in participating in vaccine trials and alignment of protocols with vaccine investigative sites. The sites participating in the program have been identified as high-performing sites in vaccine research and are being brought together to work in close partnership with each other and INC Research to deliver vaccine studies more quickly and more predictably, enabling the Company to better deliver on the needs of its customers.
“We’re excited to become a member of INC Research’s new Vaccine Catalyst Site network,” said Jeffrey B. Rosen, MD, Medical Director of Clinical Research of South Florida and Founding Member of the Alliance for Multispecialty Research. “Clinical Research of South Florida has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with INC for many years now, and we look forward to more closely aligning our combined interests and expertise in vaccine research and collaborating further with other INC Vaccine Catalyst sites in the development of best practice and new methodologies that improve start-up and enrollment efficiencies in vaccine clinical trials.”
Participation in INC’s Catalyst Vaccine Site network is by invitation only and initial focus of the program is on the United States. Members will have the opportunity to participate in an increased volume of vaccine-related trials, with dedicated relationship managers supporting each site and facilitating better alignment of protocols to their interests and expertise. Membership will be reviewed every two years to ensure the network is meeting customer needs. INC Research expects to expand its Catalyst program to include additional therapeutic areas, indications and regions.
Over the past five years, INC Research has conducted more than 40 vaccine studies across all phases of development, including complex studies in Ebola, Zika, Meningitis, Rotavirus, Smallpox, multiple strains of influenza and many others. The Company’s significant experience in navigating the nuanced requirements and aggressive timelines set forth by governmental agencies such as the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is a differentiator. Through specially trained teams working in a dedicated Vaccine Service Model, INC has yielded exceptional results with all vaccine clinical trials over the past five years being delivered on time or ahead of schedule.
About INC Research
INC Research (Nasdaq:INCR) is a leading global contract research organization ("CRO") providing the full range of Phase I to Phase IV clinical development services for the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries. Leveraging the breadth of our service offerings and the depth of our therapeutic expertise across multiple patient populations, INC Research connects customers, clinical research sites and patients to accelerate the delivery of new medicines to market. The Company was named “Best Contract Research Organization” in December 2015 by an independent panel for Scrip Intelligence, and ranked “Top CRO to Work With” among large global CROs in the 2015 CenterWatch Global Investigative Site Relationship Survey. INC Research is headquartered in Raleigh, NC, with operations across six continents and experience spanning more than 110 countries. For more information, please visit www.incresearch.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter @inc_research.