Applied Clinical Intelligence (ACI), a CRO based in Bala Cynwyd, Penn., has launched iCommittees, a comprehensive business solution for the use of data monitoring committees (DMCs) and endpoint adjudication committees (EACs) in clinical research trials.

The establishment of iCommittees is the result of over a decade of process development and ACI industry leadership in expert committee management.

"When ACI started managing committee-based trials several years ago, we saw a need for increased efficiency and organization," said ACI president Jonathan Seltzer, MD. "As a result, we have developed rock solid processes for managing these trials as well as a staff with deep knowledge in this specialized field."

iCommittees utilizes AIMS, a proprietary, web-based portal system specifically built to support expert committee projects. AIMS facilitates global, seamless interactions between committee members, iCommittees team members and sponsors.

"The goal of our technology infrastructure is to furnish committee members with clinically meaningful displays of data," Seltzer explained. "Ultimately, our specialized technology and highly developed processes make better use of our clients' clinical trial resources."

The arrival of iCommittees corresponds with a growing demand for DMC and EAC involvement in clinical research trials. "Committee use has been growing over the past few years, and I expect it to continue," Seltzer said. "Regulators are relying on committees more because they catch regulatory issues earlier. DMCs safeguard patient safety and EACs provide a level of precision additional to that of a traditional trial. For these reasons, regulators view DMCs and EACs as 'de-risking factors'."

In June, ACI will formally present iCommittees at the annual Drug Information Association conference and discuss the business unit's full service offerings with the public.