Triangle technology briefs:

  • Quintiles launches a precision enrollment program for oncology trials
  • INC Research’s veteran cahir and former CEO retires, and a current board member takes over
  • The CED is looking for startups who want to pitch investors at its annual venture capital event
  • A new home care screening service launches in Raleigh

The details:

  • Quintiles Introduces Precision Enrollment to Enhance Patient Recruitment in Oncology Trials

Source: Quintiles

Quintiles, the world’s largest provider of product development and integrated healthcare services, today announced its Precision Enrollment offering. The new enrollment model is designed to significantly accelerate site start-up and patient recruitment in oncology clinical trials working with the company’s network of investigative sites across the U.S and leveraging secondary data (e.g. electronic health records-EHRs.) In this new model, the traditional site start-up pathway is realigned so a site is only opened after a patient is identified.  

“The rise of precision medicine, scarcity of patients and investigators, combined with increasingly complex trial protocols, requires innovative approaches to clinical trial implementation,” said Cynthia Verst, PharmD, president, Clinical Operations at Quintiles. “This solution harnesses Quintiles’ deep therapeutic expertise in oncology, robust oncology investigator relationships and our demonstrated operational excellence to identify and recruit the right patient, from the right investigator, for the right oncology trial at the right time.”

Today, three out of five oncology treatments are targeted therapies, with efficacy in niche patient sub-populationsi These factors can contribute to higher screen failure rates and pose critical challenges for recruiting patients that fit a particular trial profile. Conventional models for targeting these sub-populations and pre-screening of these patients are time- and cost-intensive, making it difficult for oncologists to find the study that fits the individual patient.

With Precision Enrollment, Quintiles has built a network of oncology sites with master contracts as well as centralized IRB capabilities to streamline patient identification and start-up. The program will enable pre-identification of patients based on study and biomarker criteria, across broad geographic areas, using EHRs and other secondary data sources before a site joins a study. By using this rapid start-up model, these pre-identified patients are quickly matched to specific protocol inclusion and exclusion criteria and site activation is designed to take less than 21 days.

Watch a video overview at:

  • INC Research chairman retires

Source: INC Research

INC Research Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:INCR), a leading, global Phase I to IV contract research organization, announced the retirement of James T. Ogle as Chairman of the Board of Directors and as a Director of the Company, effective May 31. Mr. Ogle has been a member of the INC Research Board of Directors since 2003 and served as the Company’s CEO from 2003 to 2013 leading the Company through unprecedented growth.

“Jim Ogle has been a leader at INC for decades and is a steady voice that guided the Company through pivotal milestones to where it is today. We are grateful for his service to the Board and his invaluable leadership of INC,” said CEO Jamie Macdonald. “His years of dedication to INC’s prosperity leave a successor with big shoes to fill, but his leadership has prepared us for a smooth transition and continued success.”

Mr. Ogle will be succeeded as Chairman of the Board by David Y. Norton, a current member of the Board of Directors who joined the INC board in Feb. 2015. Mr. Norton is a 40-year veteran in the pharmaceutical industry, serving most recently as Interim Chief Executive Officer of Savient Pharmaceuticals from Feb. 2012 to July 2012. He previously served as Company Group Chairman, Global Pharmaceuticals at Johnson & Johnson from May 2009 to Sept. 2011. In this role, he was responsible for leading and developing the company’s strategic growth agenda, including the strategy for licensing, acquisitions and divestments, ensuring alignment with the global strategic functions, R&D and the commercial organizations. Mr. Norton began his Johnson & Johnson career in 1979 as a Product Manager for the company’s affiliate Janssen Pharmaceutica in Australia and held positions of increasing responsibility and global leadership throughout his tenure.

“When searching for a leader to guide our Company, we knew we needed someone who understands the intricacies of global clinical research and has experience with the role CROs play in delivering medicines to market. We believe David is an ideal candidate,” said CEO Jamie Macdonald. “As an existing INC Research board member, he is intimately familiar with our Company, our strategy and our place in the market. As a global leader with CEO experience in a clinical development setting, David brings the expertise needed to help guide INC Research through its development as one of the world’s leading CROs.”

Mr. Norton currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of VIVUS, Inc., and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development and for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. He previously served on the Board of Directors for Savient Pharmaceuticals from Oct. 2011 to Dec. 2013. Mr. Norton has a Marketing degree from the College of Distributive Trades, London and Preston Polytechnic, Preston, UK and a diploma in Computer Programming Technology from the Control Data Institute in Sydney, Australia.

  • CED seeking startups, emerging companies for venture event pitches

Source: CED

Company Applications are Now Open! More than just an opportunity to network, the CED Tech Venture Conference allows companies to exhibit their unique, groundbreaking tech-enabled services to hundreds of interested investors and experienced entrepreneurs. Timeline: 
June 30 – Application Deadline
Mid July – Applications are reviewed. Selected companies are notified.
Late July – Public announcement of Demo & Showcase companies

ONE application gives you the chance at TWO opportunities (application required):

Demo Company: Exhibit Your Capabilities

As a Demo Company, you’ll have the opportunity to gain exposure for your company and maximize the conference experience, making valuable connections with investors and other attendees. Each selected Demo Company gets a table in the Demo Room (equipped with 8 ft. table, power and Internet), featuring a limited number of the region’s most exciting emerging companies involved in mobile, e-commerce, digital health, green tech, advanced manufacturing and other tech-enabled services.

Showcase Venture: Pitch Live On Stage

If your company is on the cutting edge of technology innovation, consider applying to be a Showcase Venture. During the conference, selected tech companies will have the opportunity to deliver short pitches from the main stage to an audience of more than 800 attendees. Check out these 2015 Showcase Venture Videos from the main stage last year.

Apply at:

https://app.reviewr.com/ms_login?ret=%2Fmslanding%3Fsource%3Dcompetitor%26evtid%3D1851780&evtid=1851780&editing=true

  • Home Care Assist launches in Raleigh

Source: Home Care Assist

Home Care Assist has officially launched in North Carolina’s Triangle region to help caregivers and careseekers, whether for their own needs or the needs of a love one, find compatible matches. Home Care Assist is a comprehensive, world-class online platform that utilizes proprietary algorithms never before applied to the healthcare industry in this way. The overall mission is to empower careseekers, care recipients and caregivers to find and manage compatible and fulfilling care connections.

After caregivers register and create a free profile on Home Care Assist’s website, a background check can be ordered. Once passed, caregivers will be eligible to be matched with careseekers based on skillset, expertise and preferences. The goal is to present the most qualified and compatible matches, saving both time and money.
“We realized that when people are searching for the right, vetted provider for their health care needs, or the needs of a loved one, this process often requires seemingly endless amounts of time, money and energy – all to find an uncertain match,” said Home Care Assist CEO, Brian VanHook. “Through the creation of Home Care Assist, we are proud to offer a clear, fast and stress-free solution to this problem.”

Home Care Assist launched the caregiver registration portion of the website, with the Triangle as the initial focus market. Currently, caregivers have the ability to sign up, complete their profile and order a background check. In addition, careseekers are encouraged to sign up to receive email updates, as the matching system will be fully functional beginning mid-summer 2016. The ultimate goal for Home Care Assist is to expand into other markets very quickly, beginning in fall 2016.

To register for a free caregiver profile or join the careseeker mailing list, please visit homecareassist.com