CRO ups automation game

Full-service contract researcher PRA International is automating its advanced planning for Phase I studies. The CRO has selected APS software from Quintiq for trial acceptance and resource allocation at its clinical pharmacology centers in Lenexa, KS, and Groningen, The Netherlands.

Timing can be critical in Phase I studies, sometimes complicating the planning effort, says Quintig, which provides supply-chain management software in addition to its planning and scheduling offerings. The CRO expects the implementation to provide multi-project optimization as well as the flexibility to respond to late sponsor changes, says an announcement.

Installation begins next month, with system launch expected in the spring.

The automated planning capabilities will complement the CRO's recently acquired data-capture and trial-management capabilities. PRA announced in November that it had achieved Rave Accredited Plus status in Medidata's ASPire to Win program. The status enables the CRO to offer services based on the Rave electronic data capture and clinical data management platform, including end-user training and study build.

- here's the planning automation announcement
- see the Rave release