Cytel Blog

The COVID-19 Pandemic prompted the rapid surge in the generation of clinical data that has been scattered across multiple platforms, making it challenging to measure comparative treatment effects across trials. Last year, Cytel launched a COVID-19 Trial Tracker, an Open Access tool to track the global response to the pandemic. We talk to Louis Dron, Director - Real World Analytics at Cytel, about the evolution of Cytel’s Trial Tracker and the vision for its future developments.

Cytel’s COVID-19 Trial Tracker continues to provide real time updates to the status of COVID-19 clinical trials worldwide. Funded by the Gates Foundation, the COVID-19 Trial Tracker uses machine learning technology to ensure that registries across the world feed into the Trial Tracker.

As we enter 2021 with new COVID-19 vaccines and greater optimism about the pipeline of drugs and devices positioned for approval, there remains the question of how this global pandemic has left permanent changes to clinical research and development. We know for example, that more clinical trials have become virtual and that decentralization is going to be a new challenge for clinical data management. Questions about equity and access have also arisen, with new ideas about how the pharmaceutical industry can contribute to greater equality. New quantitative models have also played an important role in expedited data analyses for prediction.

In April 2020, Cytel launched an open-access global COVID-19 Clinical Trial Tracker to help facilitate greater collaboration between researchers, policymakers, clinicians, journalists, philanthropists, and other critical stakeholders. Funded in part by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a leader in global health solutions, this live dashboard offers an overview of all the clinical trials taking place in the international effort to tackle the pandemic.

We have been posting regular updates on the clinical development of COVID-19 therapy and vaccines, on Cytel’s Blog page. The following details are based on an updated data search accessed on January 11.

At Cytel, we have been diligently working to become an organization deeply committed to uplifting and enriching society. The core purpose of our business is to help our clients in their endeavor to improve human health. Our employees are committed to upholding the highest standards in our interactions with customers, our colleagues and the communities in which we live and work.

Each year, we have several sustainable programs planned around providing education in healthcare and statistics. However, this year with the pandemic disrupting the socio-economic circumstances of the whole world, we were quick to implement new drives to support the fight against COVID-19.

The Cytel COVID-19 Trial Tracker brings you an up to the minute, real time dashboard about COVID-19 trials around the world. This snapshot gives you a quick briefing on the current state of COVID-19 therapy and vaccines development.

An extraordinary amount of global research is underway as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and spread. As several entities develop curative and preventive responses against COVID-19, alignment with regulatory recommendations is key for developing effective and safe intervention. Moreover, fast regulatory approval will translate into early availability of interventions to address unmet needs.

Continue reading to get an overview of the registered COVID-19 clinical trials landscape, with a story on the special attention received by Hydroxychloroquine treatment.

Trevor Mundel leads the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s efforts to develop high-impact interventions against the leading causes of death and disability in developing countries. During a Cytel panel on the COVID-19 response, Trevor reflects on the complexities of data management, forecasting, dose-finding, recruitment and retention, when responding to a global pandemic.

Hear the entire conversation by clicking the button below or read further to get some of the highlights of this critical discussion.

At the close of May 2020, we have about 500 new trials globally but trends in trial design and choice of therapies tested have largely remained the same. The state of Vaccine Trials though has changed in both number and trial design.