WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a continuation of its mission to address the crisis in CNS drug development, the International Society for CNS Clinical Trials and Methodology (ISCTM) will gather this month for its annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Despite large unmet clinical needs, CNS drugs continue to take longer to develop than other therapies, longer to be reviewed by the FDA, and are nearly 50% more likely to fail the most costly and time consuming step in development, Phase 3 clinical trials. Moreover, increasing concerns about conflict of interest have discouraged active collaborations among academic researchers, their pharmaceutical industry colleagues, and regulators. To address these systemic issues, ISCTM acts as a non-promotional forum for cross-disciplinary collaboration among these groups. Through ongoing working groups and semi-annual meetings, ISCTM strives to advance CNS clinical trials methods that are innovative, scientifically sound, ethical, and feasible.
