Icon, the global provider of outsourced development services based in Ireland, has formed a partnership with the National Clinical Trials and Research Centre (NCTRC) at the National Taiwan University Hospital to improve the set-up and management of clinical studies in Taiwan.
Under their collaboration agreement, NCTRC and ICON will work together on study start-up, site feasibility, key-site and investigator selection, and patient recruitment.
The two organisations will also collaborate on “further enhancing the already high standards of clinical research in Taiwan”, Icon noted.
According to Wei Ming Goh, Icon’s vice president, Asia-Pacific, NCTRC is “at the forefront” of clinical research in Taiwan.
Last November, National Taiwan University Hospital formed an alliance with another global outsourcing specialist, Parexel, to provide drug development services in Taiwan.
Fast timelines
Icon’s customers are increasingly looking to include Taiwan in their clinical-trial programmes and expect fast timelines for study start-up and patient recruitment, added Goh, who joined Icon from Kendle last September.
“By combining the proven expertise of ICON and NCTRC in the region, we can further accelerate study timelines which will benefit our customers and also enhance the Taiwanese clinical trials industry,” he said.
