Finalist
InnOVation Forum – Turning Site Engagement from an Obligation to an Opportunity
by Boehringer Ingelheim and Langland
Summary of work
Clinical trials are growing in complexity which drives slow recruitment and high dropout rates. In turn, this lengthens the wait for those desperately in need of new treatments and costs the industry millions in lost revenue. Oncolytic virus (OV) research is an innovative and complex area of research that pushes the boundaries of science.
When Boehringer Ingelheim came to Langland for support with their OV programme, we recognised that focussing purely on educating sites wasn’t enough – we needed to prioritise building long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships that would improve programme delivery for all stakeholders.
This led to the InnOVation Forum – the first step in a wider vision to reshape how we engage with sites. We launched with a discussion-led meeting to dig deeper into shared knowledge and collaborate on optimising the trials ahead.
After the meeting, participant engagement with the programme increased by 144% (rated 4.7/5) and motivation to contribute to the success of the programme increased by 241% (rated 4.6/5). At a leading industry event, the sponsor confirmed: “Our first question was ‘did this create value that we could not have achieved from business as usual?’ and the answer was a resounding yes.” Global Clinical Development Operations Leader
Judges’ comments
This was a creative, distinctive and memorable entry. It was well written and easy to follow, with clear outcomes showing the impact on behaviour change. It had a strong strategy around cross-functional teams and it brought together different expertise, with a different type of meeting around clinical trials and optimising their partnership with investigators. It was an interesting concept that changed something mundane into something creative.
