Biospecimen Management Consortium Accelerates Growth, Releases Landmark Industry Survey, and Launches Key Initiatives

Amgen, Astellas, BioNTech, BMS, Day One, Debiopharm, Genmab, Halda, Inhibrx, Lilly, MSD, Profound Research, Replimune, and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center join as members

RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Biospecimen Management Consortium (BMC), launched in June 2024 to drive sample excellence in clinical research, is pleased to announce significant progress in its mission to revolutionize biospecimen management practices.

Expansion of Membership

The BMC has experienced remarkable growth, welcoming twelve new sponsor members:

• Amgen
• Astellas
• BioNTech
• Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)
• Day One Biopharmaceuticals
• Debiopharm
• Eli Lilly and Company
• Genmab
• Halda Therapeutics
• Inhibrx
• MSD
• Replimune

These industry leaders join founding members GRAIL, GSK, ILiAD, Moderna, Novartis, Roche, Takeda, and Teal Health in the consortium's efforts to address critical challenges in biospecimen management.

In a significant step towards inclusivity, the BMC has expanded its membership beyond sponsors to include clinical research sites. The BMC is proud to announce its first two site members: (1) UPMC Hillman Cancer Center's Clinical Research Services and (2) Profound Research. These members bring valuable perspectives from the frontlines of clinical research.

Key Initiatives and Accomplishments

Industry-Wide Benchmarking Survey
The BMC has successfully completed and published its first industry-wide benchmarking survey. This comprehensive study provides crucial insights into current biospecimen management practices, identifying gaps and opportunities for innovation across the clinical research ecosystem. Results of the survey to be presented during a BMC panel discussion at SCOPE 2025 - featuring BMS, Takeda, and Profound Research - on Wednesday, February 5th at 9:25am during the Biomarkers & Precision Medicine Trials track.

Launch of BMC Committees and Key Initiatives

The BMC has established three strategic committees dedicated to streamlining operations, data management, as well as advancing industry education. Through a collaborative voting process, BMC members have identified and prioritized key initiatives that promise both immediate and long-term benefits to the sector. Two initial projects have been launched: 1) The development of comprehensive sample metadata guidelines aimed at standardizing and elevating the quality of biospecimen-related data, which will enhance traceability and enable more efficient, compliant, and higher-quality clinical trials. 2) The creation of sample planning guidelines and operational best practices to ensure that biospecimen management is thoroughly considered and effectively planned during the critical study initiation phase. Initial output is expected by the end of Q1 2025.

Looking Ahead

Karina Bienfait, Co-Chair of the Biospecimen Management Consortium, commented on the consortium's progress: "The BMC represents a unique opportunity to drive meaningful change in our industry. As the first consortium to bring together all stakeholders around this critical topic, we're taking a holistic approach to addressing the challenges in biospecimen management."

The BMC continues to welcome new members and ideas from the broader clinical research community. For more information on joining the consortium or to submit suggestions for areas of improvement within biospecimen lifecycle management, please visit our website at biospecimen-consortium.org.

As we move forward, the BMC remains dedicated to its mission of elevating industry-wide excellence in biospecimen management, raising the bar for data integrity and quality, enabling the future of complex clinical research, and protecting precious patient samples.

About BMC:
The Biospecimen Management Consortium (BMC) is a clinical trial industry partnership dedicated to driving sample excellence in clinical research. Founded in June 2024, the BMC mission is to raise awareness of the importance and criticality of biospecimen management, develop industry standards and best practices, and advocate for change within the clinical trial ecosystem through standardization, policy, and thought leadership. To learn more about the BMC, please visit biospecimen-consortium.org.

SOURCE Biospecimen Management Consortium