Scope of Things

SCOPE Europe 2024, AI, New Cancer Treatments, More

Nov 5, 2024

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In this episode of the Scope of Things, host Deborah Borfitz shares the latest news on a drug repurposing AI model now being tested in rare disease clinical trials, a new way forward for triple-negative breast cancer, Jill Pellegrino’s transition from CVS to AutoCruitment, incorporating placental pathology into perspective clinical trials, making ethical oversight of clinical trials more “fit-for-purpose,” and publication bias with industry sponsored studies for psychiatric drugs. We also have Allison Proffitt, editorial director of Clinical Research News, interviewing speakers at SCOPE Europe 2024 on how AI is being used for clinical trials, their pick for the 2024 rising star in the clinical research ecosystem, and the most hotly-debated topics in trial planning and execution.

SHOW NOTES

News Roundup

AI for drug repurposing

Window trial for new breast cancer approach

Prescreening regimen of AutoCruitment

Trials needing placental pathology

Fit-for-purpose ethical oversight

“Sponsorship effect” on psychiatric drug trials

  • Study in Journal of Political Economy

GUEST BIOs

Nicole Stansbury, Head of Global Clinical Operations, Premier Research
Nicole Stansbury, Senior Vice President, Global Clinical Operations, is responsible for oversight of clinical operations which includes clinical strategy and delivery, study start up, central monitoring, and site management and risk-based monitoring at Premier Research. She leverages an innovative, data-driven approach and more than 25 years of industry experience to help sponsors address the rapidly evolving demands of the clinical development industry. In her role, Stansbury is focused on finding ways to simplify process and improve technology adoption to decrease the time, cost, complexity, and risk of delivering clinical research. Prior to joining Premier Research, Stansbury held various CRO leadership positions where she was instrumental in the strategic implementation of risk-based monitoring, central monitoring and continuous improvement of clinical operations processes. Stansbury has been co-lead for the Association of Clinical Research Organizations Risk-Based Monitoring (ACRO RBM) Working Group working with TransCelerate and the FDA since 2014. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M and a Lean Six Sigma – Yellow Belt certification.

Farrell Healion, Head of Emerging Technologies, AstraZeneca
Farrell Healion is currently Senior Director Emerging Technologies, Global Clinical Solutions at AstraZeneca, where he leads the operational readiness delivery to scale up new technologies to be used in their clinical trials. He previously led their Digital Patient Solutions team that deliver patient-facing Digital Health Technologies(DHTs) such as eCOA across the AstraZeneca portfolio. Starting out as an eCOA Developer at CRF Health, Farrell then moved through various technical leadership roles eventually leading the Technical and Project Management Office in Signant Health before moving to AstraZeneca. He is passionate about scaling up the use of patient and site-centric new DHTs in Clinical Trials, getting involved with various industry work groups such as DTRA and the eCOA Consortium. He is also the 2023 winner in Pharmatimes International Clinical Researcher of the Year award in the Decentralised Solutions category.

Jonathan Crowther, Head of Predictive Analytics, PRD (OARS), PfizerStrategic Visionary in Digital Transformation & Analytics Leadership with Proven Analytics Portfolio Management Expertise With a keen eye for Strategic Vision, I've been at the forefront of advancing analytical capabilities, particularly in site intelligence, operational metrics, and quality indicators. My prowess in Digital Transformation has been instrumental in the on-time delivery and precision of a diverse suite of predictive models, leveraging ML/AI and Generative AI technologies. My role extends beyond mere strategy. I've championed an analytical development portfolio including in-house data & analytics transaction platform serving >1400 users, generative AI, and advanced modeling for business intel, ensuring robust analytical methodologies are in place, which has been pivotal for leadership and governance decisions. My expertise in Business Analytics and Product Analytics has been the backbone of this success, coupled with a budget management responsibility of >$5M. Building and nurturing relationships is at the core of my approach. I've continuously influenced key organizational stakeholders, ensuring the seamless adaptation and implementation of analytics and intelligence strategies. My proficiency in Engagement Management and Data Governance has been crucial in maintaining positive vendor partnerships, emphasizing quality delivery and continuous improvement. As a people leader, I've instilled a performance-centric culture, emphasizing Business Planning and actionable metrics. My commitment to Data Strategies and analytical thinking has ensured project and portfolio deliveries are not just timely but also rooted in process improvement. I've coordinated work with an agile mindset, ensuring products are delivered with consistency and precision. My technical acumen extends to Natural Language Processing (NLP), Business Intelligence (BI), data visualization, and cloud platforms including AWS, positioning me at the intersection of strategy and technology.