The WIRB-Copernicus Group Partners with Mytrus, Inc. to Deliver Revolutionary, Interactive Electronic Informed Consent Solution

PRINCETON, N.J., May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The WIRB-Copernicus Group, the world's largest provider of regulatory and ethical review services for human research, announced today that it has partnered with Mytrus, Inc., a pioneer in "virtual clinical trials" and technologies that improve clinical trial efficiency, to deliver a unique electronic informed consent solution that will help to streamline and enrich the clinical research process. According to the terms of the partnership, The WIRB-Copernicus Group will be Mytrus' exclusive independent Institutional Review Boards (IRB) partner, providing Mytrus' interactive e-consent as part of its comprehensive ethical oversight solution.

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The companies will announce their partnership at the iiBIG/CenterWatch Inaugural Forum on Optimizing Clinical Research Performance in Boston, MA (May 19-21, 2013).

"The WIRB-Copernicus Group's partnership with Mytrus is in perfect alignment with our core values and vision for the industry," said Donald A. Deieso, Ph.D., Executive Chairman of The WIRB-Copernicus Group. "Mytrus' technology solution brings unmatched insight and integrity to the consent process, ensuring that patients are properly informed and enabling sponsors to attain meaningful data regarding patient consent and trial enrollment. We are proud to support Mytrus in its mission to Reinvent Consent™, and we are delighted to add the Mytrus e-consent application to our growing suite of ethical review solutions."

Accessible via iPad®, the Mytrus internet-based application digitizes and deepens the traditionally paper-based process of obtaining patient consent for participation in clinical trials, increasing efficiency and reducing study start-up time for contract research organizations (CRO's) and trial sponsors. The Mytrus tool uses video, voice instruction and quizzes to maximize patient interaction, which leads to improved comprehension and retention, enabling patients to make more informed decisions regarding their participation and care. The Mytrus e-consent solution has been translated into many languages, and has been proven most successful in the management of clinical trials involving a diverse subject population. In addition to providing a rich user experience for patients, the Mytrus solution generates advanced metrics and aggregate data to optimize the practice of clinical trial management for sponsors and CRO's.

"The WIRB-Copernicus Group is recognized as a global leader, and clinical research companies look to them to provide cutting-edge solutions that dramatically impact the cost and efficiency of clinical trials," said Anthony Costello, CEO of Mytrus. "We are pleased that The WIRB-Copernicus Group has recognized the innovation of our technology and has chosen to offer our e-consent application in its comprehensive suite of research oversight solutions."

The WIRB-Copernicus Group includes Western Institutional Review Board (WIRB) and Copernicus Group IRB, the leading independent institutional review boards providing ethical oversight for clinical trials, and IRBNet, the top research compliance software solution serving institutions. The WIRB-Copernicus Group is the only ethical solutions provider capable of meeting the unique needs of institutions while supporting the speed and efficiency required by industry sponsors and CRO's. With a comprehensive, streamlined review service that now includes Mytrus' e-consent, and a network of clients numbering in the thousands, The WIRB-Copernicus Group connects the world's leading sponsors and CRO's with experienced research institutions to deliver new therapies and treatments to market with the highest degree of efficiency, quality and integrity.

Dr. Deieso will announce the partnership during his keynote presentation, "Transforming Ethical Review: The Formation of The WIRB-Copernicus Group," on Tuesday, May 21st, 2013. During his presentation, Dr. Deieso, who is also an Operating Partner at Arsenal Capital Partners, will discuss the investment strategy that drove the formation of The WIRB-Copernicus Group and share details regarding the Group's transformational approach to clinical research, which now includes Mytrus' innovative e-consent technology.  The WIRB-Copernicus Group is a proud sponsor of the iiBIG/CenterWatch conference. Members of The WIRB-Copernicus Group and Mytrus teams will be in attendance to answer questions regarding the partnership and to provide attendees with a demonstration of the advanced e-consent application.

To learn more about the iiBIG/CenterWatch Inaugural Forum on Optimizing Clinical Research Performance, please visit the conference website: http://www.iibig.com/conferences/P1301/overview.html.  

About The WIRB-Copernicus Group
Transforming Ethical Review

The WIRB-Copernicus Group (WCG) is the world's largest provider of regulatory and ethical review services for human research. With eight individual AAHRPP accredited panels, over 100 experienced board members, and over 60 years of combined experience in protocol and study-related review, The WIRB-Copernicus Group brings more expertise to the industry than any other ethical solutions provider.

Members of The WIRB-Copernicus Group family of companies include Western Institutional Review Board (WIRB) and Copernicus Group IRB (CGIRB), the nation's leading independent institutional review boards, and IRBNet, the top research compliance software supporting institutions. It is the mission of The WIRB-Copernicus Group to meet the highest standards of ethics and science, and to ensure the safety and welfare of research subjects worldwide. For more information, please visit www.wcgirb.com.

About Mytrus

Founded in 2009, Mytrus is a clinical technology and services company built on the idea that modern technologies can enable people to safely and effectively participate in clinical trials without requiring them to live near a study center. The company's proprietary eConsent and EDC technologies and methods can dramatically improve patient recruitment timelines, increase patient retention and reduce overall study costs for sponsors.  Mytrus is a privately held company based in San Francisco, CA.  inVentiv Health, Inc., a leading provider of best-in-class services to healthcare companies, is a comprehensive strategic partner and investor in Mytrus.  Learn more about Mytrus at http://www.mytrus.com or find the company on Facebook and Twitter @mytrus.

SOURCE WIRB-Copernicus Group