I have rarely interviewed a biotech executive who wasn't trying to figure out some way to cut back on the time and expense of a 
clinical trial. For most, it's a question of lean staffing and savvy outsourcing work. And while that's key, there's been a lot of work being done on adaptive clinical trials, biomarkers and more that is aimed at giving biotech developers the tools they need to rein in costs. Next year, that's one trend that will only grow more important.
If you're looking for some new ideas on that score, I hope you'll join us for an upcoming webinar at 2 p.m. EST on December 15th on efficient clinical trial design and execution. Neil Bodick, who set up Eli Lilly's early-stage Chorus development group, and Ken Getz, Tufts' savvy clinical trial expert at the Center for the Study of Drug Development, will both be on hand to discuss some new ideas related to low-cost trials. Bodick has gone on to apply his skills at finding the shortest path to proof of concept data with the start-up developer Flexion. Getz, meanwhile, has just completed a fascinating new study examining the impact protocol complexity has on trial times and expenses. And we'll be joined by other experts for a nitty-gritty look at the lessons to be learned.
Anyone running a trial or planning to launch one should find this a valuable experience. Sign up now to take advantage of the $79 early-bird rate; after December 4th registration will cost $109. Click here to register. - John Carroll