Therapeutic studies

BELTAS manages clinical research in a range of therapeutic areas. Major areas of research in New Zealand & Australia include Oncology, Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes, and Immunology / Respiratory.

Oncology

Oncology is a major area of research, with a quarter of current investigational drugs and biologics focused on this multi-faceted illness.

BELTAS has been involved in a number of oncology trials, working on study feasibility through to close out. New Zealand and Australia do considerable research in this area with key opinion leaders in the various sub specialties.

Both countries share a typical ‘western’ profile with high rates of breast, prostate, colorectal and lung cancer, plus haematological malignancies such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and leukaemia. This region has a high rate of skin cancer.

There is considerable collaboration across the two countries with six networked centres in New Zealand working under the Cancer Trials New Zealand collaboration, and a large group of oncology sites in Australia, with good recruitment rates and quality data collection.

Due to later access to some cancer treatments in New Zealand, some studies that require treatment-naïve patients recruit well. Australia and Europe are good sites for oncology studies, including the trialing of adjuvant treatments.

Cardiovascular

BELTAS has undertaken a considerable amount of cardiovascular research, particularly in interventional cardiology, for start-up companies through to established multinationals.

Cardiovascular disease is a major problem throughout the developed world and increasingly amongst the fast-developing countries in the Asia/Pacific region.

New Zealand and Australia have world-renowned cardiologists heavily involved in research, varying from local biotech to studies done by large pharmaceutical and medical device companies. This includes bench testing and early stage studies of new cardiovascular devices, at moderate cost in comparison with other regions and delivering excellent data quality.

Europe has a number of centres of international standing able to recruit from large patient populations quickly. BELTAS has worked with many of the leading cardiology sites throughout Australasia and Western Europe. These sites are highly experienced, have good facilities, well-trained and dedicated staff, and an excellent reputation for recruitment and supervision of trial subjects.

Diabetes

Type 1 and especially Type 2 diabetes is a fast-growing problem throughout much of the world, particularly Australasia and Europe as well as North America.
BELTAS has staff with considerable experience in diabetes studies.

Diabetes is a major health concern in both New Zealand and Australia, and is hence a priority on the health agenda. There are considerable site resources available for specialists, nutritionists and dedicated nurses working or conducting research in this field.

Type 2 diabetes particularly afflicts local populations and considerable research in pharmaceuticals, biologics and devices is undertaken at internationally recognised centres in both countries. Key thought leaders in this area are active on global studies.

Recruitment is consequently very good, with sites frequently meeting initial targets quickly and assisting with further recruiting.

Immunology / Respiratory

Immunology is a major area of research world-wide. While New Zealand and Australia have a typical first world disease profile, both have high incidents of asthma.

This combined with reverse seasonality (winter June–August), makes them ideal for certain immunological studies including allergies, influenza and respiratory ailments like asthma & COPD. This can mean a 6 – 9 month gain in development programs.

Asthma studies recruit particularly well with high calibre centres and investigators specialising in this field.

BELTAS has undertaken feasibility, trial planning and monitoring for a range of immunology studies in the southern hemisphere. We have assisted start-up companies to accelerate their programs and also undertaken studies for blue chip pharmaceutical companies as part of their global clinical trials.

"Contract research organizations (CROs) provide substantial global capacity to drug developers and have become a critical contributor to clinical trial activity"

- Tufts CSDD