Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to not only supplement clinical trials, but redefine the sector, while the industry braces for a fundamental transformation amid growing demand for patient centricity and sustainability, say experts.
New technologies and strategies in clinical trials were the subject of a panel discussion at the 2025 Clinical Trial Supply West Coast 2025 (CTSWC25) conference on 9 September in Burlingame, California. Panellists asserted that rising reliance on AI will set the foundation for future trial strategy while the sector adapts to participant demand for greater centricity and sustainability in trial design.
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AI is poised to become as indispensable to clinical trials as the internet, claimed Prasun Mishra, founding director of Agility Pharmaceuticals. The technology was described as “the elephant in the room” by Tom Gottschalk, vice president of business development at Valeris. Gottschalk implored attendees to educate themselves on how to employ AI in their work, highlighting the necessity of AI literacy for long-term employment security in the sector.
Digital transformation in the clinical trials space has been an ongoing conversation for decades, claimed Luiz Barberini, head of Latin America external manufacturing at Bayer. Barberini also noted that discussions on AI in clinical trials are proving more promising than those around blockchain held years ago; however, Mishra highlighted that blockchain remains a vital part of the clinical trial sector.
Blockchain technology, a form of secure, unalterable digital ledger, has become instrumental for tracking and safeguarding supply data precisely and reliably, said Mishra. He noted blockchain also makes data transparently accessible to patients, with vulnerability to hacking minimised.
Growing interest in patient centricity by trial participants was highlighted by panellists as coinciding with advances in trial technology. Patients are increasingly informed, said Mishra, with some even wishing for opportunities to monetise their own data. Additionally, he noted patients want more sustainability in clinical trials as younger generations place greater importance on environmental concerns.
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By GlobalDataImplementing sustainability programmes could prove challenging for smaller developers like biotechs with limited resources, said Gottschalk, though small and big companies alike will be held accountable for their sustainability in the future. He therefore said companies should seek more efficient ways of running trials to meet sustainability targets, which will eventually become the standard.
Gottschalk stated, “the patient is changing”, and a foundational shift in the mindset of the trials sector is imminent. Early changes to address the unique ways younger generations interact with trials could yield future benefits for adopters of these new technologies and practices, he said. However, Barberini noted the difficulty that long-established companies like Bayer, which was founded in 1863, face in overturning old ways of operating. Nonetheless, the new dynamic shared ownership operating model is working to bridge the gap.
