On the 6th February we saw the opening of SCOPE 2023 in Orlando, a summit for clinical ops executives and an opportunity to learn about the latest developments in decentralised clinical trials (DCT). Huma's DCT team was present at the event and shared insights on how digital is paving the way for DCTs. Themes from the event focused on the advancements of  innovative solutions in all aspects of clinical trials ranging from planning, management and operations. Attendees had the chance to learn and network with leading experts in the field and gain valuable insights into how to execute successful decentralised and hybrid trials.

We caught up Huma’s DCT team to get their take-home points from the event.

What was your impression of SCOPE this year? 

This year's event was one of the most well-attended events yet with a diverse range of attendees from around the world. It’s an opportunity to bring together industry leaders, thought leaders, and innovators to discuss the latest developments in decentralised clinical trials. 

The atmosphere at SCOPE was electric, with networking opportunities and thought-provoking conversations with high level executives across the biopharma and life science industries. The agenda was packed with engaging talks from industry experts who shared their insights on decentralised protocols, data, real-world evidence and operations. It was an incredible experience for everyone involved and many delegates left the event feeling inspired and energized.

Clare Burn, DCT Huma said “SCOPE this year was well attended by delegates from across different industries, we were impressed by the sheer scale of the event! Our presence this year certainly broadened our reach to potential new clients and partners globally, and it provided us with an excellent platform to improve market awareness of Huma as a provider of DCT and hybrid solutions. We couldn’t be happier with the level of engagement and interest that the Huma team received - It was a great opportunity to gain insights that will serve to improve our offering.” 

‍What were some of the themes that you took away from the event?

It’s clear from many of the talks that the industry is still solving the conundrum of introducing new technologies and solutions that work for the sponsor, site, and patient.

Dhruv Wadhwa, DCT Huma said “Currently, sites still wish to control the direct relationship with the patient and this is affecting DCT vendors ability to provide remote patient monitoring solutions without the right balance of control and visibility being given to the site. We’re also seeing the entry of new site vendors such as Walgreens and CVS and this is being countered by traditional sites who question their operational experience. While these newer players tout scalable capacity, the studies they engage in are still small in scope, with details such as site capabilities, feasibility and patient recruitment still being ironed out.”  

Some other key themes from the event included reducing site burden, increasing patient diversity and solving the friction between stakeholders that can often lead to a slow in the implementation and adoption of new technologies. A number of panels were focused on the importance of collaboration between different organisations and examined how technological advances can help to improve patient outcomes and reduce the burden on sites in the research process.

What opportunities were there to connect with delegates and exhibitors? 

We were able to connect with decisions makers and key sponsors from across the industry. These conversations facilitated a better understanding of their approach to solve many of the challenges facing clinical research and the processes involved in running trials. It was also a great opportunity to hear from other solution providers to understand the market as a whole, the barriers to new technological advances and where there might be a chance to collaborate. 

Dennis Velasquez VP DCT, Huma said “Many of the people in attendance hold the responsibility for driving innovation and digital strategies within their area of clinical research and for the companies that they represent, and so there were many opportunities for us to demonstrate how Huma can support clinical trials. Highlighting our digital expertise which is complimented but the capabilities we recently acquired with Alcedis, coming together to produce an enhanced DCT offering.”  

Based on your experience of the event, what opportunities are there for Huma to make a difference in this space? 

While traditional trials are still the go to for many companies we are seeing an increase in uptake and appetite for DCTs. This change in mindset is where we anticipate Huma making the most impact. Huma provides a patient-centric solution that also allows sponsors to build prototypes of their studies and engage their partners and key stakeholders ahead of the curve to iron out their differences. This should help increase adoption of remote patient monitoring technologies by increasing education (mock studies), garnering feedback through beta-study deployments in the build phase, thus resulting in an improved experience for everyone involved.