Clinical trial activity has been “remarkably resilient” as sites and sponsors have navigated the pandemic and adapted, with clinical trial starts surging and the total number of trial participants hitting historic highs in 2021, according to a new IQVIA report.

Clinical trial starts saw a substantial 14 percent increase last year, totaling 5,578 new trials, the IQVIA Institute’s Global Trends in R&D report says. Specifically, planned phase 2 trials increased 19 percent from 2020, phase 3 increased by 15 percent and phase 1 saw an 8 percent increase after a minor dip in 2020.

The report notes a greater and steadily increasing use of novel trial designs, including umbrella, basket, master and adaptive protocols. In total, 400 trials — 8 percent of new and planned trial starts — included one or more components of novel trial design in 2021, double the 4 percent seen in 2010. Cancer trials saw the highest number of novel designs to date: 11 percent in 2021.

The pandemic and ensuing COVID-19 trials have also impacted trial participation; for the first time, trial participants surpassed 2 million, hitting a new high last year, IQVIA said. And new oncology trials last year boasted nearly 300,000 participants, almost double that seen a decade ago.

The report also noted an accelerated use of decentralized trials (DCTs) spurred by the pandemic. The fourth quarter of 2021 in particular showed the highest quarterly utilization of DCTs, remote trials and virtual trials yet, “suggesting the industry continues to push into new territory” using those approaches, IQVIA said.

Access the full report here: https://bit.ly/3suOEHy.