Early phase clinical research: is Russia the next big market player?

Russia has always been a country of choice for global multicenter Phase III clinical trials. 70% of new drugs registered in Europe in 2015 were tested in Phase II-III clinical studies in Russia, according to Smooth Drug Development.

Russia is an attractive destination for early phase clinical trials. Rapidly developing clinical trials infrastructure, quick access to patient pool and availability of professional clinical trials suppliers adhering to good quality standards, attractive regulatory conditions, lower per-patient cost when compared to this in the USA constitute key factors underlying the evolving trend. Also, a Pharma 2020 initiative aimed at successful creation and production of innovative medicines, which need to be tested in humans, and its export, gives impulse for this development.

The first private Phase I unit operating in accordance with international standards is BioEq. BioEq provides services from first-in-human to proof-of-concept (in healthy volunteers, special populations and patients diagnosed with diseases in the field of oncology, rheumatoid arthritis and other therapeutic areas).