Panel SA: Clinical trials industry gains momentum in the country

The pandemic boosted a business that, in Brazil, was in its infancy: clinical research for the production of medicines or vaccines made outside (decentralized) pharmaceutical or biotechnology laboratories.

One of the global leaders in this segment, the American Care Access, acquired the Brazilian IBPClin in June and, now, announces a partnership with four more research centers in the Rio-São Paulo axis.

The facilities will serve as a base for conducting clinical research in Latin America. The company plans to open four more research centers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, next year.

This research works like this: instead of the patient going to the research center to undergo the test, the center sends a kit to his house, containing the drug to be tested. If a procedure is the object of the test, a researcher in charge goes to the patient.

With Anvisa’s endorsement for this type of business, large groups began to invest in the country as an innovation hub. The ethnic diversity of the population attracts companies. Because of miscegenation, drugs or vaccines tested here are more likely to work in other countries.

Another attraction is a bill pending in Congress that intends to give incentives to the sector. If it passes, the projection is that the billing will be R$ 2 billion per year. There are very few companies currently competing in this segment (decentralized tests) in the country.

Today, 8,805 clinical research studies are conducted in Brazil – 42% of the total clinical research conducted in Latin America. Despite its leadership in the regional scenario, Brazil concentrates only 2% of clinical research worldwide – decentralized tests still have a small share of this total.

Each clinical research takes an average of five to 10 years to complete and, of this total, only 10% result in drugs approved for commercial use.

Julio Wiziack (interim) with Paulo Ricardo Martins and Diego Felix