During the DIA 2008 Annual Meeting held in Boston, Phase Forward announced it formed an alliance with AG Mednet to streamline the process of transporting medical imaging, such as MRIs, CAT scans and ultrasounds. The alliance calls for the combining of InForm, Phase Forward’s trial management system, and AG Mednet’s imaging transport network for better tracking and management of patient images in real time from sites to imaging experts. “Clinical trial sponsors need a way to transport patient images more quickly and efficiently for less cost, and a real-time capability to track and manage these images,” said Martin Young Phase Forward’s vice president of corporate development and marketing.

Wilmington, N.C.-based CRO PPD launched PPD Clicks, a secure web-based platform for its clients to access real-time data from the company’s central laboratory operations in Belgium, Beijing, China and Highland Heights, Ken. PPD stated that about one-third of its central lab studies are already on the new system. During the Drug Information Association’s (DIA) 2008 Annual Meeting, PPD also announced it implemented Oracle Remote Data Capture Onsite 4.5.3, a new version of Oracle’s electronic data capture (EDC) solution, in eight studies and 600 at sites worldwide. PPD first began using the new Oracle Onsite solution in March to expand its real-time reporting capabilities. PPD has worked with Oracle for eight years in the development of its Oracle Clinical solutions systems. "The high-end technology of PPD Clicks is built upon our proven proprietary enterprise application and offers clients a dynamic, scalable and robust platform to meet their growing clinical trial information management needs," said Agostino Fede, Ph.D., senior vice president at PPD and head of global central labs. "A truly single global database featuring intuitive navigation and a high level of easy, self-service customization ensures that our clients have secure, anytime, anywhere access to their data."

Wayne, Pa.-based Octagon Research Solutions demonstrated its ViewPoint Quantum product during DIA, the company's enterprise electronic clinical data management solution. The product has been used globally as an effective way to deal with data standards, data lifecycles, data management and submissions.

Also during the DIA show, Boston-based ePRO provider PHT announced its LogPad ePRO system is now available on the go via Microsoft Mobile and Palm operating systems. The company stated it chose the HP iPAC 210 wireless handheld, a sleek device with a four-inch high resolution color screen. The device includes branching logic, reminder alarms and straight-forward data transmissions. It also supports a variety of fonts and languages, important in today's global clinical trial landscape. "The LogPad on Windows Mobile reflects our commitment to consistently finding ways to offer sponsors freedom of choice, world-class service, and lower costs per patient," said Phil Lee, PHT’s president and chief executive.

Marlborough, Mass.-based epublishing and submission services company Datafarm released of a-Pulse 3.0, its solution to automate Pdf regulatory documents. The product also helps users with bookmarking, hypertext linking and verification for compliance issues. The new version allows for text redaction, supports Windows Vista and is scalable for various page formatting. In May, Datafarm made a partnership with strategic IT consulting firm Court Square Group to help integrate and host Datafarm's electronic submission software for its clients. 

San Ramon, Calif.-based eClinical company Nextrials inked a contract with Allon Therapeutics for the use of its Prism clinical trial management software for Allon’s phase IIa trial to test a therapy for Alzheimer’s disease. The companies stated that the nine-month, 16-site clinical trial produced results in less than seven weeks, which was a “notable achievement in the biopharmaceutical R&D community.” Among many of its features, Nextrials’ Prism solution offers a patient randomization module, alerts in real-time and daily trial tracking capabilities.  “This was the first proof of human efficacy for our compound—and for an emerging company such as Allon Therapeutics, it was important to release high quality data as quickly as possible to our shareholders and to the investment and medical communities,” said Karole Sutherland, vice president, clinical operations for Allon.