Words by Jade Williams
Type 2 diabetes has replaced COVID-19 on the list of the world’s most studied diseases this year, according to a study by Phesi, a clinical development analytics company.
Phesi found that type 2 diabetes now ranks fifth in terms of the number of clinical trials underway, trailing only breast cancer, solid tumours, stroke and prostate cancer. The surge in interest in GLP-1 drugs for treating diabetes and obesity likely contributes to this increase.
“It is no surprise that type 2 diabetes research is being prioritised by biopharmaceutical companies,” says Dr Gen Li, President and Founder of Phesi. However, Li warns that sponsors of type 2 diabetes trials will need to adapt to the disease’s complexity, as many patients have multiple comorbidities. “Sponsors looking to keep costs down and minimize protocol amendments will need to design protocols with a higher degree of precision,” he advises.
In addition to the data on diabetes, Phesi noted a worrying trend of increased phase II trial cancellations, with 32% of trials being terminated in the first half of 2024, a 56% increase from pre-pandemic levels. Li expressed concern over this trend, warning that “almost a third of trials cancelled at Phase II is becoming the new normal”, which drives up costs across the industry and delays the market entry of new therapies.
Overall, the study found that priorities in clinical research are evolving, highlighting the need for more precise trial designs to ensure timely delivery of new therapies to patients. Oncology remains a high-investment area, occupying three of the top five spots in rates of clinical trials.
