The long journey from the research laboratory to the patient

04/22/2024

Many great scientific ideas arise from basic research, but without cooperation from industry, physicians, and luck, it is difficult to reach patients.

The laboratory-to-patient pathway describes the lengthy process of moving from basic experimental research to preclinical studies, typically conducted in animal models as well as various stages of clinical research. The ultimate goal is that the research can ultimately directly benefit patients.

It is important to emphasize that there is no exact timetable for getting anything from the laboratory to clinical use; Preclinical studies can take 1 to 6 years, and clinical studies can take 5 to 10 years. Simply planning, approving and funding a clinical trial can take about two years.

Many drug trials or treatment concepts can fail at any stage of the process., forcing researchers to adjust their theories or start over; Despite this, it is estimated that 90% of studies will never reach the clinical phase. The reasons may be varied, such as asking the wrong questions, lack of direct clinical relevance, lack of sufficient numbers of patients, lack of the necessary infrastructure to test theories, or simply lack of sufficient funding, especially for rare cases. diseases.

With this in mind, it is important to know how to begin this process. In the case of medical scientists, research ideas arise from observations or questions that arise in the clinic. These ideas are brought into the laboratory with the hope that they can eventually come back and improve clinical settings. In contrast, for basic scientists, research ideas arise from questions related to basic biology. With time and careful planning, these ideas may find clinical application.

At Barraquer, we firmly believe that in order for research to directly benefit patients, it is essential to facilitate collaboration between researchers and clinicians. By promoting constructive dialogue among our members, we enable our physicians to gain a deeper understanding of laboratory research advances and our researchers to better understand the clinical issues important to our patients. This ongoing practice has been instrumental in achieving our research goals and is currently helping us explore and develop potential innovative treatments.

Justin Christopher d’Antin, researcher and specialist at Eye Bank