In 2023, the global clinical trials market was valued at USD 80.7 billion and is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.49% from 2024 to 2030. Market growth was notably influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which in 2020 led to increased demand for both virtual and traditional clinical trials. Many companies made significant investments in developing new drugs to alleviate the burden of COVID-19 on healthcare systems. For instance, Synairgen plc and Parexel partnered on a Phase III study in 2020 to test the effectiveness of Interferon-beta (IFN-beta) treatment for COVID-19 patients. Additionally, technological advancements, a rising incidence of chronic diseases, the globalization of clinical trials, increased demand for personalized medicine, and a growing reliance on Contract Research Organizations (CROs) for conducting research activities are all expected to contribute to market growth.
The COVID-19 pandemic also brought about changes in how clinical trials were conducted, with regulatory agencies such as the U.S. FDA, European Medicines Agency (EMA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and China’s National Medical Products Administration issuing guidelines to support decentralized and virtual clinical trials during the pandemic. This shift, along with the urgent need for new treatments, led to the adoption of fast-track clinical trials, providing new growth opportunities for the clinical trials market.
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Supportive government initiatives are another driver of market growth. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Solidarity trial, an international effort to evaluate potential treatments for COVID-19 by comparing four treatments against the standard of care. In May 2020, WHO also announced an international coalition to develop multiple vaccine candidates simultaneously, naming this effort the Solidarity trial for vaccines.
Moreover, the increasing use of CRO services allows manufacturers and sponsors to focus on production capabilities and enhance in-house processes. CROs offer a wide range of services from drug discovery to post-marketing surveillance, which has simplified operations for small and mid-sized pharmaceutical and biotech companies by allowing them to outsource R&D activities, reducing infrastructure costs. For example, in November 2023, Syneos Health entered into an agreement with GoBroad Healthcare Group, expanding its clinical trial capabilities across multiple therapeutic areas in China.
Sponsors Segmentation Insights:
In 2023, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies accounted for the largest revenue share in the clinical trials market. This dominance is due to the industry’s high level of interest and financial investment in drug research and development. While basic research in academic labs is primarily funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the pharmaceutical industry bears the substantial costs associated with discovering and testing new drugs on animals and humans. Clinical trials represent a major expense, with the cost to bring a new drug to market ranging from USD 266 million to USD 802 million. In the U.S., approximately 75% of clinical trial funding comes from corporate sponsors.
The patient recruitment and retention segment captured a significant market share in 2023. The growing number of clinical studies worldwide has increased the demand for patient recruitment services. Increased funding for clinical research and widespread adoption of digital technologies are further supporting this growth. The market expansion is also driven by large investments in R&D, government support, and the presence of major CROs that provide comprehensive services, including patient recruitment, with active participation from multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies.
The data management segment also held a notable share in 2023 and is expected to maintain this trend over the forecast period. Growth in this segment is driven by the increasing adoption of data management services and a trend toward decentralized trials. The integration of advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for data entry, analysis, and quality control is further expected to drive demand in this segment.
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