January/February 2025 • PharmaTimes Magazine • 8
// INNOVATION //
The UK experienced a notable increase in advanced therapy clinical trials in 2024, reaching 187 ongoing trials. This marks a 7% rise from the previous year.
Particularly, phase 1 trials saw an approximate 70% increase, growing from 24 to 41. The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult) presented the data in its UK 2024 Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) Clinical Trials Database.
The UK maintained its position as a highly attractive destination for clinical trials, representing 9.5% of all global trials and almost 50% of European trials in 2024.
Matthew Durdy, Chief Executive of the CGT Catapult, commented: “Advanced therapy clinical trials are important in two regards.”
He added: “They provide a clear indication of the attractiveness of the UK for advanced therapy product development and they create the skills, capabilities and environment that mean that patients can access these life-changing drugs more quickly and easily.”
The database also showed that 27 new trials were initiated in 2024, compared to 13 in 2023.
This indicates a growing pipeline of products. Gene therapies continued to dominate the majority of ATMP clinical trials in 2024, similar to the previous year. Durdy added: “This data shows the UK’s continued strength on both counts.”
AI is poised to significantly lower pharmaceutical R&D costs through efficient drug discovery, optimised clinical trials and predictive data analysis, according to a GlobalData survey.
The leading data and analytics company’s report, The State of the Biopharmaceutical Industry – 2025, highlights AI’s potential to boost productivity and cut costs in the coming year.
Urte Jakimaviciute, Senior Director of Market Research and Strategic Intelligence in the healthcare division at GlobalData, emphasised the importance of improving R&D productivity.
“Enhancing productivity in pharmaceutical R&D is fundamental as it accelerates the development of new drugs, enabling companies to innovate more effectively, respond to emerging medical needs and maintain a competitive edge,” she stated.
The report indicates that industry professionals identified lead generation and optimisation in drug discovery as the areas where AI has been most effectively integrated so far. Target identification follows as another crucial R&D process benefiting from AI.
Jakimaviciute added: “Improving productivity aligns with the broader trend of AI adoption across industries, which is also pushing pharmaceutical companies to integrate advanced technologies to remain competitive and keep up with digitalisation trends.”
While AI’s role in drug discovery is still evolving, increasing numbers of AI-discovered drugs are expected to enter markets in the future.