Dassault Systèmes brand Medidata has announced the formation of its Academic Site Advisory Board to address the distinct operational and technical hurdles faced by academic medical centres (AMCs), advancing collaboration to enhance clinical trial progress.

The announcement took place at the Association of American Cancer Institutes Clinical Research Innovation meeting in Chicago, Illinois, US.

The board’s launch expands Medidata’s Sites Insights Program, an initiative launched last year to address challenges at clinical trial sites.

According to the company, the programme seeks to resolve workflow obstacles, provide financial transparency, and optimise the conduct of decentralised and hybrid clinical trials.

AMCs are responsible for a significant proportion of complex clinical research. However, these organisations often experience particular difficulties, including complex institutional structures and balancing research with patient care.

The process of entering data into both electronic health records and separate clinical trial platforms has also been highlighted as a key administrative burden.

Medidata chief patient officer Alicia Staley said: “Being site-centric and patient-centric is the driving force behind Medidata’s approach to technology development to ensure that our products are shaped by the very users and participants who bring clinical trials to life.

“By collaborating with some of the nation's most innovative clinical research leaders, we will gain the insight we need to advance technology that addresses the unique needs of AMCs, drive patient and site-centricity, and elevate the clinical trial experience.”

The Academic Site Advisory Board is composed of clinical trial site leaders from more than 12 research institutions in the US, including Mount Sinai Health System, Northwell Health, and Mayo Clinic.

Medidata reports that AMCs represent more than half of its user base and are involved in 60%-70% of all clinical trials worldwide.

The board will work alongside Medidata's patient insights board and will participate in the company’s Annual Insights Summit in November with other advisory groups.