Amid the growing role of China in the clinical trial space and dominant investment role the US continues to play, Europe still offers a viable region to conduct trials, and the answer could come from looking east.
“The number of trials is increasingly rapidly in Central and Eastern Europe. The number almost doubled between 2021 and 2023,” said Nick Rich, Novotech’s regional director of business development, while commenting on the European trial landscape.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Speaking during Arena International’s Outsourcing in Clinical Trials and Clinical Trial Supply Nordics in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21-22 October, Rich added that the region has “fast patient enrolment, cost effective operations and high regulatory compliance, and also strong alignment with the EU clinical trials regulations and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards”.
Central and Eastern Europe is playing an increasingly active role in providing fast and effective clinical trials. However, the spotlight has intensified on the region amid an uncertain international backdrop. Tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump have created supply chain disruption, with drugmakers highlighting impacts on research & development (R&D).
China, meanwhile, has emerged as a hotbed of clinical trial activity spurred by government policies and regulatory overhaul. The company now accounts for 20% of drugs in development globally, reflecting the powerhouse role the country has embraced in the pharmaceutical industry. However, current relations between American and Chinese biotechs have an uncertain future amid the looming BIOSECURE Act.
Amid supply chain fragility and tighter constraints on R&D, efficient trials are currently the name of the game. Rich commented on a study that Novotech conducted in Central and Eastern Europe, highlighting its speed.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataHe remarked: “With an accelerated study timeline, the trial achieved full recruitment within 15 weeks and closed ten weeks ahead of schedule. This was achieved by looking outside of some of the mainstream European countries. There are obviously opportunities here.”
Indeed, reliance on Eastern Europe for trial sites is reflected in recent drug approvals. Of the 50 FDA-approved drugs in 204, 42 of them had clinical development journeys with sites in Central and Eastern Europe, according to Novotech.
Rich added: “Eastern Europe is no longer just a budget option, it’s a high-performance region for trials requiring speed, quality, and regulatory reliability.”
However, lack of capital remains a challenge in Europe. The US continues to dominate the biotech funding scene, which can impact clinical trial localisation. Experts have previously called upon European companies to take a leaf out of US investment scene in a bid to translate innovation into approved products.
Despite global clinical trials increasing by 38% over the past decade, the European Economic Area’s (EEA) global share of trials has halved over the same period, as per a 2024 report by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA).
