Some of the world’s largest pharmaceu­tical companies have improved the transparency of their clinical trial data disclosures, according to new analysis from Bioethics International, yet many studies for approved drugs still go unreported. Bioethics International’s second Good Phar­ma Scorecard, published in the online medical journal BMJ Open, found that companies have made “meaningful progress” on several key metrics since the first scorecard was released in 2015. Companies are doing a better job in complying with legal requirements for reporting clinical trial results, according to the analysis, and making results publicly available for trials conducted in patients.

FDA proposes collaborative approach for pediatric rare disease research

For more efficient development of treat­ments for pediatric rare diseases, spon­sors can implement controlled, multi-arm, multi-company clinical trials, according to a new draft guidance that the FDA says could help eliminate the need for certain studies. The proposed, double-blind design would minimize the number of patients receiving a placebo, using a single control group for multiple investigational drugs. In addition, a single treatment arm could be stopped early following clinical decline. While the guidance itself focuses on treatments for Gaucher disease, a rare, inherited metabolic disorder, the FDA hopes the plan can be extended as a model for other areas of pediatric drug development, according to CDER Director Janet Woodcock.

To read the full articles for this issue of The CenterWatch Weekly, please click here for subscription information.