Catalent launches service to improve clinical trial flexibility

Contract drug manufacturer Catalent has launched a new direct-to-patient service for clinical trials, the company has announced.

Catalent’s FlexDirect services provides sponsors with the choice of site-to-patient distribution, or Catalent’s new pharmacy-to-patient service, both of which can be coupled with standard distribution of clinical supplies to offer a customised package.

Catalent’s pharmacy service is located within the same facility as standard distribution, enabling clinical supplies distributed to both clinical sites and directly to patients to originate from a single location, eliminating the need to maintain separate inventories.

With FlexDirect, Catalent hopes that patients and sponsors undertaking clinical trials will be benefit from the service’s offering of improved retention and recruitment. This is made possible via the direct-to-patient distribution of clinical supplies which helps patients by delivering treatments directly to their homes. This can remove barriers such as transportation challenges for patients with underlying health conditions which may make it difficult for them to visit clinical sites.

The service can also make trials more patient-centric by improving convenience, supporting busy lifestyles and reducing the number of clinical visits that are necessary.

While site-to-patient services are available in the US and Europe, pharmacy-to-patient services are accessible only in the Us through Catalent’s on-site pharmacy in Philadelphia. This offers sponsors a solution that eliminates the need for clinical sites to physically receive, store and dispense patient kits.

“The nature of clinical trials has evolved, but the needs for a trial to maintain patient engagement and ensure dosing regimens are adhered to remain paramount, and direct-to-patient supply reduces the burden of patients to visit clinical sites and maintain participation,” explained Kristen DeVito, global director Clinical Supply Services. “FlexDirect increases the options available to study sponsors and offers increased flexibility in distribution, reducing the strain on clinical sites by offering a pharmacy-based service and promoting patient retention.”