I recently attended the 47th Annual Meeting of the Drug Information Association (DIA) in Chicago. This was my 10th visit to the annual meeting, but my first as an IntraLinks employee. It was interesting to think about how much both the themes of the DIA and the life sciences industry itself have changed over the past decade. I still remember hauling servers and equipment to some of those early shows just to be able to give a simple demonstration of software. It was an incredible contrast this time to walk around with an iPad to show off the new IntraLinks app.

IntraLinks conducted the “IntraLinks Global Investigator Site Survey” last month to better understand how investigative sites manage the clinical trial document exchange process with sponsors and clinical research organizations (CROs), and to gain a better understanding of the challenges of using paper-based methods. The survey results ultimately revealed a significant opportunity for investigator sites to improve efficiency through web-based solutions for clinical trial document exchange.

A considerable majority of the survey respondents, 73%, still use traditional methods (e-mail, courier, fax) as their primary means for clinical trial document exchange. E-mail usage rates ranked the highest, while courier and fax usage were less prevalent (but still used) as the main way for exchanging clinical trial documents. Adoption of electronic tools has grown, yet these methods continue to fall short in addressing the current document exchange needs at most clinical trial sites.

I recently presented at CBI’s 3rd Summit on Clinical Trial Investigator Portals in Philadelphia. The event drew an array of members from the pharmaceutical, biotech and CRO industries to discuss and share strategies for using portals to share clinical research information.

While there were sponsors and CROs at the conference who were just beginning to test the portal waters, a significant number had already made sizable investments into home grown portals. Now on their first, second or next generation portal, many have realized they were focused on their own needs and not necessarily on those of the end users. The conference gave attendees an ideal opportunity to explore the perspective of the clinical investigator—beyond gathering their feedback, but actually using their insights to incorporate into their clinical portal plans.

Today is a special day for me. Not only does it mark my five-year anniversary with IntraLinks, it also marks the launch of our expanded solution for clinical study management. Since joining IntraLinks in 2005, I have built relationships with our life sciences client base and the expansive community who use IntraLinks every day to manage their clinical trial work. From heads of clinical operations and study start-up managers at pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations (CROs), to principal investigators and study coordinators at investigative sites, I have had the invaluable opportunity of hearing first-hand what drives these individuals, what keeps them up at night and what they would like to have to make their life easier. To a product marketer, this kind of direct market insight is pure gold because it’s the kind of information that drives innovation to ensure product relevance, value and distinction.

Efficiency and the delivery of results are paramount, whether you’re with a large pharmaceutical company looking to standardize the way it manages the preparation and due diligence related to licensing, divestitures, and other strategic events or a small biotech seeking to maximize the results of capital raising or out-licensing activities. Pharmaceutical companies are tasked with maintaining top-line growth, and, as a result, business development and licensing teams are increasingly challenged to in-license promising new compounds and out-license those that are no longer a good strategic fit. Biotechs, meanwhile, must present their products in the most effective possible way to both optimize deal valuation and ensure closure.