A groundbreaking study by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (CSDD) has revealed that integrated contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) and clinical research organization (CRO) services can dramatically accelerate drug development timelines, potentially reducing Phase I-III study times by up to 34 months. The research, which examined Thermo Fisher Scientific's Accelerator™ Drug Development 360° solutions, represents what researchers believe to be the first study of its kind to quantify the benefits of integrated drug development services.
Significant Financial Returns Drive Industry Interest
The study's economic analysis demonstrates compelling financial incentives for pharmaceutical companies to adopt integrated approaches. Using risk-adjusted, discounted cash flow analysis, researchers found that integrated CRO/CDMO services can generate up to $63 million in net financial benefits for drug sponsors, delivering a return on investment of up to 113 times the initial investment.
"The cost of developing new drugs is exacerbated by operational inefficiencies from the siloing of clinical research, drug manufacturing and supply chain functions," said Joseph DiMasi, Ph.D., director of economic analysis and research associate professor at Tufts University and the study's lead author. "Our findings underscore the strategic importance of integrated services as a driver of value."
The financial stakes are particularly high in late-stage development, where each month of delay in a Phase III clinical trial can result in up to $8 million in lost revenue from shortened market exclusivity and deferred market entry, according to research cited in the study.
Addressing Industry-Wide Inefficiencies
The traditional approach to drug development involves multiple supplier partnerships across bioprocessing, clinical development, clinical supply, and manufacturing solutions. However, this decentralized model creates significant operational challenges that the Tufts study identified as key drivers of delay and cost overruns.
"This study demonstrates that integration of services across development and manufacturing functions can yield substantial benefits to drug sponsors in the form of shorter clinical development durations," the study authors wrote. "The findings from this study provide a compelling case for drug sponsors to consider single-vendor integrated CDMO and CRO solutions as a means of addressing operational inefficiencies."
Proven Track Record Across Therapeutic Areas
The research examined real-world implementation data from Thermo Fisher's integrated platform, which has supported more than 120 biotech and biopharma companies across over 350 protocols. These programs have spanned multiple therapeutic areas and included small molecule, large molecule, and advanced therapy development programs.
"This new study highlights the opportunity to deliver safe new medicines to patients significantly faster," said Mike Shafer, executive vice president and president, Biopharma Services, Thermo Fisher Scientific. "Through Accelerator Drug Development, we are well positioned to bring customizable, end-to-end solutions and world-leading expertise to our customers."
Flexible Integration Models Offer Value
The study's analysis revealed that while fully integrated service provision yields the greatest financial benefit, even partial integration offers significant value, particularly for later phases of clinical development. This finding suggests that companies can realize meaningful benefits regardless of their level of integration adoption.
DiMasi emphasized the strategic considerations for drug sponsors: "Drug sponsors considering this approach should consider the degree of integration that would drive the most value for their programs. Our study reveals that while fully integrated service provision yields the greatest financial benefit, even partial integration offers significant value, especially for the later phases of clinical development."
The research focused primarily on oncology drug development scenarios but noted that the findings may have broader applications across other therapeutic areas. The study's methodology involved modeling net financial benefits using risk-adjusted, discounted cash flow analysis to evaluate the economic impact of integrated services on recent customer programs.
