Therapeutically-aligned network offers high-performing sites in psychiatry research the opportunity to conduct more trials; enhances high quality delivery for biopharmaceutical customers

RALEIGH, N.C., July 05, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- INC Research Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:INCR), a leading, global Phase I to IV contract research organization, today announced the launch of the Company’s Psychiatry Catalyst Site Network as part of its Catalyst program introduced in 2016 to strengthen collaborations with clinical research sites worldwide. The ultimate goal of the program is to enhance patient focus and optimize study delivery to drive improved predictability and increased efficiency for customers.  INC selected 32 high-performing clinical research sites to participate in the initial launch of the Psychiatry Catalyst Site Network, which was formed to respond to the rapid growth and strong pipeline of psychiatric studies. The Psychiatry Catalyst Site Network joins INC’s existing networks in place in support of Oncology and Vaccine clinical research.

“Demonstrating our continued focus on strong site collaboration to improve study delivery, INC Research has expanded its Catalyst program into the Central Nervous System (CNS) and specifically, psychiatry clinical research,” says Clare Grace, PhD, Vice President, Site and Patient Access, INC Research.  “Our Catalyst initiative aligns with INC’s deep therapeutic focus and supports the delivery of high-quality, actionable data to advance new therapies.  Our expansion of the program in response to the growing number of psychiatric studies – recognized as among the more complex therapeutic areas in clinical research – will leverage expert insights to further enhance clinical development and accelerate new therapies to market in this critical area.”

INC’s Psychiatry Catalyst Network will play a significant role in the psychiatry studies the Company conducts on behalf of its customers, particularly in the more challenging psychiatric indications.  “Many of the newer schizophrenia and depression studies require a greater commitment from investigators than in previous years, and INC’s Catalyst program provides a strong foundation by establishing clear and mutually agreeable expectations regarding the administrative aspects of running a clinical trial from the onset,” says Tom Zoda, PhD, Executive Vice President and General Manager, CNS Clinical Development, INC Research. “By easing the administrative burden for sites, we are better positioning them to spend more time focusing on enrollment of suitable patients and engagement of their caregivers. Our goal through the Psychiatry Catalyst Site Network is to raise the caliber and quality of work in psychiatry clinical trials for the ultimate benefit of patients in need of these medications.”

Sites selected for the Psychiatric Catalyst Site network will work with each other and with INC Research to deliver studies more quickly and more predictably, enabling the Company to better deliver on the needs of its customers. “I am excited to be part of INC’s Psychiatry Catalyst Site Network, which builds on its Protocol Review Site Advocacy Group (SAG) implemented in 2015 to engage sites earlier on in the scientific and operational aspects of CNS clinical trials to improve patient engagement and ultimately study delivery,” says David Walling, PhD, a principal investigator with Collaborative Neuroscience Network, LLC.  Through both the Protocol Review SAG and the Psychiatry Catalyst Site Network, INC will further streamline processes to improve the patient experience while ultimately accelerating new therapies to market for customers.

Dr. Andrew Kim, Principal Investigator with Alexian Brothers Center for Psychiatric Research, added, “Improving communication and reducing redundancies among sponsors, CROs, and sites enables us to overcome obstacles and barriers more efficiently and deliver potential breakthroughs to patients in a more timely manner.  The Catalyst Psychiatry Site Network helps to create this collaboration, which I am proud to support."

Participation in INC’s Catalyst Psychiatry Site Network is by invitation only with membership initially focused on the United States. Members will have the opportunity to participate in an increased volume of psychiatric-related trials, with dedicated relationship managers supporting each site and facilitating better alignment of protocols to their interests and expertise. Membership will be reviewed regularly to ensure the network is meeting customer needs. INC Research expects to continue the expansion of its Catalyst program to include additional therapeutic areas, indications and regions.

Over the past five years, INC Research has conducted more than 115 psychiatry studies across all phases of development, including complex studies that address conditions like schizophrenia, suicidality, depression and dementia.   The Company’s significant experience in overcoming enrollment challenges, meeting site needs, implementing protocol amendments and surpassing customer expectations are all key differentiators to the Company’s clinical research success.

About INC Research
INC Research (Nasdaq:INCR) is a leading global contract research organization ("CRO") providing the full range of Phase I to Phase IV clinical development services for the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries.  Leveraging the breadth of our service offerings and the depth of our therapeutic expertise across multiple patient populations, INC Research connects customers, clinical research sites and patients to accelerate the delivery of new medicines to market.  The Company was ranked “Top CRO to Work With” among the top 10 global CROs in the 2017 CenterWatch Global Investigative Site Relationship Survey. INC Research is headquartered in Raleigh, NC, with operations across six continents and experience spanning more than 110 countries. For more information, please visit www.incresearch.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter @inc_research.

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