Finding the right doses and regimens that carefully balance safety and efficacy is an important first step of any drug development process. However, when you are looking at combining and testing multiple treatments together, evaluating these various requirements simultaneously can be challenging.

Our researchers, Prof Thomas Jaki and Dr Pavel Mozgunov, have been actively working with pharmaceutical company, Merck, to implement novel innovative and more efficient adaptive designs in Phase I dose-escalation trials. Together they have developed an advanced analytical tool, the Partial Ordering Continual Reassessment Model (POCRM), to speed up the development of two precision medicines, support Merck’s clinical trial decision making and help ensure a greater probability of success.

To watch the video explaining the tool, go to: Harnessing advanced analytics to improve precision medicine drug development | Merck (merckgroup.com)

Thomas Jaki said:

A key aspect of working on statistical methodology is ensuring uptake in practice. This fantastic collaboration is a great example where novel methods meet application that hopefully will serve as an example for more such joint ventures in the future.”

Pavel Mozgunov added:

I am excited to support Merck with implementing more efficient adaptive designs in practice and to contribute to accelerating the delivery of better care to patients. We hope that our experience of a successful application of an advanced method in practice will help to improve how many of early phase trials are conducted – both in the private and public sector.”