News in numbers


Clinical trial outlook >1,000,000


The number of participants that took part in over 5,200 NIHR-delivered, UK-based studies in 2022–23 – enough people to fill Wembley Stadium 10 times.


10.8%


The percentage that clinical development productivity rose in


2023, due to improvement in the composite success rate, the highest rise since 2018.


Clinical development programmes among larger biopharma companies are shifting away from areas such as Covid-19 and immuno-oncology to focus on hot spots in oncology and a range of therapies across large population and rare diseases.


100


The number of people recruited every hour


during 2022–23 to take part in health and care research.


The number of participants that took part in commercial studies sponsored by the life sciences industry.


32,328 5,000


The number of portfolio studies that recruited participants in England during 2022–23.


952,789


The number of participants that took part in clinical research across England – an increase of 220,000 on pre-pandemic levels.


18%


The percentage of commercial research participants that came from primary care in 2022–23.


Source: NIHR Clinical Research Network 6


Country utilisation across all phases of industry interventional trials, 2014–2023


Average countries/trial by phase


9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0


Clinical trials slowed in 2023, with a 15% decline compared to 2022 and down 22% when compared to 2021, with 32% of the decline driven by Covid-19 trials, which have


declined 69% compared to 2021.


Without Covid-19 trials, trial starts have slowed to below the pre-pandemic level.


Phase I Phase II


70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%


100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0%


Phase III All trials


Total trials by number of countries


19% 11% 15%


The percentage decline in Phase I, which is the biggest since 2022.


The percentage decline in Phase II since 2022.


The percentage decline in Phase III, in planned or actual trial starts, matching


the overall trend.


The composite success rate for the pipeline jumped in 2023 to 10.8% across all therapy areas after falling to a 10-year low in 2022, driven by increases in Phase I, Phase III and regulatory success.


1 2 to 4


5 or more 10 or more


Source: Citeline Trialtrove, IQVIA Institute, January 2024.


48% 66%


The percentage success rate rise of Phase I, a level last seen in 2019.


The percentage success rate rise of Phase III, far above the 56% 10-year


pre-pandemic average. Source: IQVIA


Clinical Trials Insight / www.worldpharmaceuticals.net


Phase II


2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023


Phase III Percent of total trials


2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023


Countries/trials


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