Over 31 million people in the United States (U.S.) are estimated to be affected by eczema. The National Eczema Association defines eczema as a group of inflammatory skin conditions that cause symptoms, such as dry skin, itchiness, rashes, scaly patches, blisters, and skin infections. To spotlight this widespread chronic condition and its profound impact on patient quality of life, we observe Eczema Awareness Month each October. This year, TFS HealthScience Contract Research Organization (CRO) is kicking off its efforts for Eczema Awareness Month by highlighting the role of dermatology CROs in advancing eczema research and treatment.

These organizations have grown into an integral component of the drug development processes, providing vital support to sponsors when conducting clinical trials, developing new therapies, and improving our understanding of eczema. In 2022 alone, the dermatology CRO global market was valued at US$4.737 billion and is expected to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8% from 2023 to 2030. To commemorate Eczema Awareness Month 2024, this article will explore the top five dermatology CROs that are at the forefront of eczema research. Read on to learn more!

Understanding Eczema: What You Need to Know

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, usually presents in infancy or childhood, often associated with other conditions like asthma and food allergies; however, it can still occur in individuals of any age. Although its exact underlying cause is not known yet, research suggests it may involve abnormal changes in certain genes, problems with the immune system, and exposure to specific environmental triggers. Primarily, eczema causes the skin to become dry and extremely itchy, which leads to its characteristic symptoms like redness, swelling, cracking, crusting, and scaling. These symptoms can be assessed for severity and treatment by a licensed dermatologist.

However, because eczema can present visually anywhere on the body, including the face, these symptoms are also associated with stigma that negatively impacts a patient’s psychological well-being (learn more from this 2021 publication). Recognizing this aspect of the disease, the National Eczema Association is hosting “The Ecz-hibition” this year, a social media-driven awareness campaign, which features real, up-close photos of disease flares accompanied by a poem that reveals the experience of living with eczema. Their hope with this campaign for Eczema Awareness Month 2024 is to raise compassion around eczema by showcasing its physical and emotional impact on patients. Visit the National Eczema Association website to learn more about this campaign!

With that, we will highlight the top five dermatology CROs (in no particular order) that are leading the path for innovation in eczema research and treatment!

1. Parexel Dermatology CRO

Founded: 1982

Headquarters: Durham, North Carolina

Company Size: Over 20,000 employees

First on our list is Parexel, a large global CRO with a dedicated dermatology team that holds extensive experience with studies in inflammation and immunology diseases, including eczema. Dermatology sponsors can benefit from the company’s 40 years of industry knowledge, which has allowed them to conduct more than 90 clinical projects that have enrolled 25,000 patients over the last five years alone. Interestingly, Parexel chooses to approach inflammation and immunology conditions with a focus on a drug’s mechanism of action, rather than seeing it as a separate medical subspecialty, to enable more holistic overview of dermatology conditions like eczema. They have demonstrated a strong ClinOps (clinical operations) team across a variety of clinical trial types, including First-in-Human studies, late-phase studies, regulatory consulting, and post-marketing research.

2. Symbio, a Specialized Dermatology CRO

Founded: 1997

Headquarters: Port Jefferson, New York

Company Size: Under 200 employees

As a global therapeutically specialized CRO, Symbio stands out as a major partner in dermatology clinical research. Despite being a smaller company, this CRO has more than 20 years of expertise after running over 500 dermatology clinical trials that have resulted in more than 60 drug approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As a niche organization, Symbio offers sponsors with a deep knowledge of atopic dermatitis, among several other dermatological conditions, while still maintaining full-service capabilities and a global presence across the US and Europe. In November 2023, Symbio (headquartered in New York) acquired the Germany-based CRO, Proinnovera. The company completed the merger in September 2024 when its name changed from Symbio Proinnovera to Symbio. Overall, Symbio’s ability to focus on dermatology-specific studies, ranging from Proof-of-Concept to Phase I-IV clinical trials, makes them one of our top CROs for eczema-related research.

3. TFS HealthScience Dermatology CRO

Founded: 1996 

Headquarters: Lund, Sweden 

Company Size: 800 employees 

4. ICON Dermatology CRO

Founded: 1990

Headquarters: Dublin, Ireland

Company Size: Over 40,000 employees

Next up on our list is ICON, one of the largest global CROs in the industry and within the dermatology therapeutic area. ICON Dermatology CRO stands out as a reputable choice for eczema research due to long-standing market experience and dermatological expertise. In the last five years alone, the company has conducted over 128 dermatology studies involving 23,641 patients across 5,034 sites worldwide across a broad spectrum of indications including atopic dermatitis. This vast clinical portfolio was made possible by their impressive dermatology team, consisting of more than 400 clinical research professionals, including project managers and board-certified physicians who also provide medical monitoring.

ICON, like TFS, offers sponsors access to their dedicated global site network, named Accellacare, which has conducted 321 dermatology studies across 153 sites and enrolled over 6,200 patients worldwide. With Accellacare, ICON Dermatology CRO provides high-quality dermatology sites with experience in a variety of skin-related procedures, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and more. Other services offered by ICON’s dermatology team include assistance with patient recruitment, medical imaging, central laboratory services, biostatistical analysis, site selection, and engagement, among others.

5. Biorasi Dermatology CRO

Founded: 2002

Headquarters: Aventura, Florida

Company Size: Under 500 employees

Last, but certainly not least, is Biorasi, another top dermatology CRO with more than 20 years of expertise in diseases like eczema and experience with managing skin-related clinical trials. In addition to being made up of capable ClinOps and trial management teams, this CRO closely collaborates with its own scientific advisory board made up of industry experts and KOLs who provide insights to pharmaceutical clients conducting dermatology studies. One of the key advantages offered by Biorasi is its dedication to delivering timely and streamline trial start-up. Their metrics speak for themselves, with the company achieving database build in under 6 weeks, database lock in under 4 weeks, and top-line results provided within 7 days. They also promise 2x faster site start-up and 8x faster patient enrollment in clinical trials. Despite being a smaller company, Biorasi has an extensive global footprint with access to patient populations in over 100 countries worldwide, making enrollment for multinational eczema clinical trials significantly less daunting for sponsors.

Conclusion

These top five dermatology CROs are industry leaders in the space of eczema research and clinical trials on skin-related indications. Parexel, Symbio, TFS, ICON, and Biorasi each offer their own unique blend of high-quality dermatology expertise, innovative technology solutions, and a variety of services to support atopic dermatitis trial sponsors worldwide. This October, join TFS in recognizing the work of dermatology CROs in the industry and their strong commitment to advancing the treatment landscape of eczema for patients. To learn the six ways you could get involved in raising awareness during Eczema Awareness Month 2024, visit the National Eczema Association website here!

TFS Dermatology CRO: An Industry Leader in Eczema Research

TFS HealthScience is a global CRO with an established foothold in therapeutic research for widespread skin diseases such as eczema. Our team of experts support biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies throughout their entire clinical development journey with dermatology trials. Visit our dedicated Dermatology CRO website to learn more about the expertise TFS can offer for your next dermatology clinical trial or connect with a TFS representative today!

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