Singapore: Icon, a global provider of outsourced development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries, and the National Clinical Trials and Research Center (NCTRC) at the National Taiwan University Hospital, signed a collaboration agreement to enhance the set-up and management of clinical studies in Taiwan.

Under the terms of the agreement, NCTRC and Icon will work together on study start-up, site feasibility, key site and investigator selection and patient recruitment. Both organizations will also work together on further enhancing the already high standards of clinical research in Taiwan.

Mr Wei Ming Goh, vice president, Asia Pacific, Icon, said that, "We are very pleased to be collaborating with the NCTRC who are at the forefront of clinical research in Taiwan. Our customers are increasingly looking to include Taiwan in their clinical programmes and are expecting fast timelines for study start-up and patient recruitment. By combining the proven expertise of Icon and NCTRC in the region, we can further accelerate study timelines which will benefit our customers and also enhance the Taiwanese clinical trials industry."

Professor Chan Wing Kai, director, NCTRC, said that, "The aim of this partnership is to accelerate new drug development and new treatments for diseases and we hope to achieve this by leveraging our respective strengths. We are happy to be collaborating with Icon, a leading clinical research organization that has proven experience in both global and local clinical development programmes."