Velocity Clinical Research transforms specialty care with integrated-site model innovation

DURHAM, N.C., June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Velocity Clinical Research ("Velocity"), the leading integrated research site organization, today announces it has entered an exclusive research collaboration with Coastal Heart Medical Group led by Anil Shah, MD, FACC, FSCAI to apply its unique integrated multi-site approach in Specialized Care, focusing on complex cardiovascular studies.

After successfully building a network of more than 30 integrated sites across the US, focusing on multitherapeutic primary care, Velocity is applying its model to specialty care. Current enterprise-for-specialty-care models embed staff into existing hospitals and academic facilities, failing to impact the operational problems that slow down clinical trials and leads to slower drug development. Velocity's dedicated site network for specialized clinical trials will have higher technology standards, data collection procedures and hands on, dedicated staff, with the ability to scale quickly.

Specialty care studies face more challenges due to patient access and eligibility, as well as procedural complexities. These challenges result in stagnant enrollment and lack of patient diversity. Velocity's innovative multi-site approach to Specialty Care gives clinical trial sponsors a solution to these enrollment challenges.

People from minority populations are severely underrepresented in specialty care research and often miss out on life-saving drugs and research. By bringing clinical trials to patient communities, this partnership seeks to dramatically increase clinical research opportunities available to all patients including those from minority communities.

Samira Moran, Senior Vice President, Specialty Care, said: "We're not just instilling culturally competent care but establishing dedicated sites in the heart of the communities who need access to specialized care. Velocity's unique approach means we can scale our operations more efficiently to meet the demands of patients and the companies sponsoring this research. We achieve greater diversity and inclusion by placing research at the heart of patient care in Hispanic and African American communities who need it the most."

Velocity's first site will be in Santa Ana, California, followed by a second site in Chino Hills, California, and aims to build a dedicated network of specialty care sites across the US within two years. The collaboration provides a platform for complex, interventional cardiology and vascular capabilities, extending the model across a spectrum of specialty indications in future.

Dr Shah commented: "We're combining the speed of business with academic science to improve specialty care research. There is a huge subset of the US population who are not being treated adequately for severe diseases in areas such as cardiology, oncology and psychiatry. This partnership can revolutionize the specialty care industry on a scale not seen before and in doing so, deliver life-saving research in a more-timely manner."

Complex clinical studies, including surgical and device studies will be carried out at the dedicated facilities under Dr Anil Shah - an esteemed interventional cardiologist and experienced Principal Investigator. With over 40 years in the field, Dr Shah's published work has helped innovate cardiology practices in the US today.

One in three deaths (approx. 800,000) in the United States are from cardiovascular diseases each year and clinical research in this area is complex and difficult to recruit patients for. The burden extends financially as it is estimated $1 of every $6 spent on healthcare in the U.S. goes to cardiovascular treatments.

Notes to editors:

• Specialty care encompasses many serious disease areas, including cardiology, oncology, rheumatology, immunology and psychiatry etc.
• The first specialty care site will focus on cardiology in advanced cases, interventional, surgical and devices procedures, all of which have to be done in dedicated and special facilities.
• According to a report by Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, patients from minority backgrounds or with a low-English proficiency are more likely to have an intimidating, confusing or difficult to manage experience with specialty care.
• It is estimated that only 20% of patients in specialized research are recruited by private companies to date.

About Velocity Clinical Research

Velocity Clinical Research, headquartered in Durham, NC, is the leading integrated site organization for clinical trials, offering dedicated site capabilities to help biopharmaceutical and contract research organization customers find the right patients for their studies. Velocity supports global drug development in primarily conducting phase II and phase III clinical trials. The company has over 30 U.S. locations across 14 states.

We place the care of the patient at the heart of everything we do. With over 35 years of experience running sites and more than 7000 studies completed, Velocity has refined its patient recruitment strategies while maintaining a focus on delivering timely and reliable data quality. For more information visit our website at https://velocityclinical.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1844653/Velocity_Clinical_Research_1.jpg
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1332237/1045132_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Velocity Clinical Research