Articles
Highest Recruiter in Australia & New Zealand: Major Vaccine Study
In December 2024 we celebrated our achievement as the highest recruiting site in Australia and New Zealand for a major vaccine study, CIC-E-301 Covid/Flu Vaccine trial. This shows what can happen with great teamwork, focus, and preparation.
Huge thanks to everyone at team Optimal for stepping up and delivering top-notch results. We also want to thank our study participants, and our study sponsor and CRO for trusting us to be part of this very important study.
We believe in the power of research to change lives, and we’re excited to keep pushing forward in advancing medicine.
Case Study: Rescuing a Clinical Study at Speed
When a biotech company faced critical delays due to slow recruitment in Australia, the success of their Alopecia Areata clinical study hung in the balance. With the next phase of clinical trials at stake, Optimal Clinical Trials stepped in as a rescue site – and delivered exceptional results in record time.
Case Study: Delivering Excellence for a Large-Scale Late-Phase Vaccine Trial
When one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies needed to conduct a multi-site, large-scale late-phase flu vaccine trial in New Zealand, Optimal rose to the challenge and delivered with the top performance.
2degrees Auckland Business Award Winners 2023
They say: do right by your customers and everything else follows. We're very excited to announce our incredible success in the 2degrees Auckland Business Awards! Winners of the Supreme Business Excellence Award and Excellence in Customer Service Delivery Award, 2023.
2degrees Auckland Business Awards Finalists 2023
We're thrilled to be finalists in two categories of the 2023 2degrees Auckland Business Awards: Excellence in Customer Service Delivery, and Excellence in Strategy & Planning.
This is another testament to our team's commitment to delivering outstanding clinical research study experiences for our study sponsors, CROs, and participants. A huge thank you to everyone in our Optimal team for making this possible! Fingers crossed for the winners’ announcement in November.
Syneos Health Catalyst Site Announcement
Great news! Our team at Optimal Clinical Trials is so proud and honoured to have been chosen to join as a Syneos Health Catalyst site. This partnership will expand Syneos Health's clinical trial capabilities in New Zealand, with the collaboration focusing on various therapeutic areas such as CNS and Vaccines.
Celebrating a 100% Retention Rate for RSV Vaccine Trial
We're thrilled to share that our team has achieved a 100% retention rate for participants in an RSV clinical trial for older adults. This not only underscores the exceptional experience patients receive at Optimal, but also highlights our industry-leading participant retention rates.
Highest Recruiting Site in APAC July and August 2023
We are thrilled to share that in July and August this year, Optimal took the top spot in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and ranked as the 3rd highest recruiting clinical site globally for an ongoing Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Vaccine Study for people 60 years old and above.
This groundbreaking study could shape the future of medicine, potentially enhancing the health and well-being of countless individuals, not just in New Zealand, but worldwide.
A massive thank you to our clinical research study sponsor and CRO for their trust and partnership in this pivotal venture. Here's to progress!
NZ Research Site for Dr Falk Pharma Coeliac Disease Study
Optimal Clinical Trials has teamed up with Dr. Falk Pharma International for a clinical study researching a potential new treatment for coeliac disease.
The study will test the effectiveness of the investigational drug in reducing coeliac symptoms like diarrhoea, bloating, nausea, and abdominal pain, and in healing the lining of the small intestine, which is often damaged in people with coeliac disease.
Thank you to Dr. Falk Pharma for this opportunity to contribute to advancements in coeliac disease treatment!
Rescue Research Site Success for Alopecia Areata Study
Team Optimal has done it again! Living up to our reputation for starting a clinical study in New Zealand and bringing in quality data at speed, we have screened our first patient on the day our site got activated for the Equillium Bio Alopecia Areata study! This is particularly special as we have been asked to come in as a rescue site.
It’s a privilege to be able to contribute to advancements in Alopecia Areata treatment options and help improve the lives of individuals affected by this condition. Thank you Equillium!
Surpassing Recruitment Targets for Flu Vaccine Clinical Study
Our team has been working hard on an Investigational Flu Vaccine Study and continues to lead recruitment in New Zealand. While our Central and North sites have both reached 100% of our targets, we have carried on recruiting more participants for the research as we continue to surpass our sponsor's expectations.
Thank you to our sponsor for trusting us as a key clinical partner for what could be the next vaccine breakthrough.
First Patient-In (FPI) Globally for Cue Health Covid-Flu Device Study
Our team is so proud to be the first medical research company, not only in New Zealand, but globally, to bring the first participant (FPI) into the Cue Health COVID-19 and Flu Nasal Testing Device Clinical Study. This is another testament to our reputation for starting a clinical study and bringing in quality data at speed. Our Optimal Central and Optimal North research centres both enrolled first patients on the day of site activation.
Read More...
NPS Perfect Score
At Optimal, we hold ourselves to the highest standards when it comes to running our clinical research studies and looking after our sponsors and CROs.
That's why we're absolutely thrilled to share that we have received an outstanding overall feedback rating of 5 out of 5, and a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of a perfect 100 from our clients! A big thank you to all our clients for your trust and support, we promise to keep raising the bar!
Positive Results from Novavax Phase 2 Covid-Flu Vaccine Study
Novavax has recently announced positive results from a Phase 2 trial of its COVID-Influenza Combination (CIC), stand-alone influenza, and high-dose COVID vaccine candidates. The trial evaluated the safety and immune responses of these vaccines in adults aged 50 to 80. The results showed that all three vaccine candidates had robust immune responses and were well-tolerated, with safety profiles comparable to authorised vaccines. These positive results support the continued development of these vaccine candidates.
We're so proud to have been a key research site for this study and looking forward to continuing our partnership with Novavax to improve global public health by developing effective vaccines against serious infectious diseases.
Esperion Therapeutics CLEAR Outcomes Study Success
We're so proud to be part of the successful CLEAR Outcomes trials by Esperion Therapeutics! The goal of the study was to determine if the investigational drug, Bempedoic acid, can reduce major cardiovascular events in patients with heart disease or at high risk who experienced complications from statin use. The results were presented at ACC.23 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Local Medical Research with Global Impact
A big thank you to the New Zealand Story Group for featuring our story and sharing it with the world! Since 2013, together with our sponsors, CROs, and thousands of study volunteers, we have significantly contributed to life-changing medical discoveries. Our mission is to help people live longer, happier, and healthier lives, not just in New Zealand, but all over the world.
Read more...
NZ Doctor Features our Founders
New Zealand Doctor (Rata Aotearoa) magazine recently featured Drs Penny and Barney Montgomery, the visionary founders of Optimal Clinical Trials.
In 2013, clinicians Penny and Barney started Optimal Clinical Trials with a shared mission to improve the everyday lives of current and future patients in need. With their extensive research experience, supported by a team of doctors and a network of specialist Principal Investigators, they’re committed to supporting the development of innovative tools and medications that will expand healthcare options.
Read more...
Celebrating the World’s First RSV Vaccine for Older Adults
Optimal Clinical Trials, a leading Phase 1b-3 research centre in the Asia-Pacific region, is proud to celebrate the recent milestone FDA approval of Arexvy, the world's first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for older adults.
This groundbreaking approval will enable adults aged 60 years and older to be protected from RSV disease for the first time, providing them with a better quality of life.
Our Atopic Dermatitis Research Specialists
Atopic dermatitis can be a severe chronic medical condition greatly affecting a sufferer’s quality of life including the ability to find work, relationships and their mental health.
Optimal became involved in the development of one of the first of these new medications, Dupilumab, a biologic drug that specifically targets the cause of atopic dermatitis.
Find out about our experts who are passionate and determined to get results, making it possible for us to help sufferers find relief.
Our Key Capabilities in Atopic Dermatitis Research
Approximately 230 million people around the world have atopic dermatitis, an ‘itchy’ skin condition characterised by remission and relapse, that can cause patients to have low self-esteem and can be very restrictive socially.
At Optimal we are dedicated to research in this area, with extensive capabilities, proven results and access to a large pool of patients.
Change Never Happened Standing Still
Leveraging one of the world’s most terrifying pandemics into an opportunity to drive positive growth in an organisation – in fact an entire country – isn’t a task for the faint hearted. Especially when many of us simply aim to ‘get through’ tough times – not transform.
Rapid Start Up
Boston-based biotech company needed to achieve their first patient dosing in record time – just one month – they partnered with Optimal Clinical Trials who produced rapid results with quality data at the fore. Investor expectations and reaching definitive milestones were intrinsically linked to this study, which was centred on a novel investigational product for a neurological condition.
Five Great Reasons to Do Business in New Zealand
Optimal is strategically positioned in the world’s most rapidly growing clinical region, Asia Pacific. On the global stage, New Zealand boasts one of the fastest, most straightforward regulatory and streamlined online ethics review system – reducing start up time.
The Top Six Reasons to Bring Your Business to New Zealand – Now!
The world is experiencing unprecedented times – and it’s those holding a strategic advantage that can move forward faster. New Zealand is emerging from COVID-19 ahead of most other countries. It has virtually no1 COVID-19 and the economy is open. We are leaders in the most rapidly growing clinical trial region, Asia Pacific.