Eight Key Considerations for Evaluating FSP Partners Offering Remote-Based Regional Hubs

Explore the advantages of remote-based regional hubs in FSP partnerships, a modern alternative to traditional centralized staffing that ensures projects launch on time and stay on budget.

Biopharma and biotech industries are facing remarkable challenges as the cost of developing new drugs has surged dramatically and clinical trial timelines have extended significantly. For example, over the past decade, the average time required to complete a clinical trial has increased by approximately 20-30%. These elongated timelines are contributing to soaring costs, with the average cost of developing a new drug rising to approximately $2.6 billion (versus $1-1.5 billion just a decade ago).

For sponsors, the imperative to streamline development processes and improve clinical development speed and efficiency has never been more critical. As the industry grapples with these challenges, embracing innovative solutions is essential to mitigate the impact of rising costs and prolonged timelines. Insights from our recent FSP Trends Report demonstrate that drug developers are relying more on functional service provider (FSP) and hybrid FSP/FSO models to solve these challenges.

The advantage of remote-based regional hubs

One promising approach is the use of remote-based regional hubs in FSP partnerships, offering a modern alternative to traditional centralized staffing. Remote-based regional hubs leverage a geographically dispersed remote workforce in lieu of conventional brick-and-mortar offices located in major cities. This model allows FSP partnerships to tap into a broader talent pool, securing top-tier professionals at the most cost-effective rates for the model the sponsor wants. It also opens the door for sponsors to expand clinical research into emerging markets and remote areas with untapped patient populations and research sites with lower clinical trial activity. This expansion often leads to more consistent enrollment and increased staff engagement.

Moreover, remote-based regional hubs enable sponsors to meet broad operational requirements by accessing a wide variety of professionals with local expertise. By breaking free from geographical constraints, these companies enhance flexibility, efficiency and speed to market, ensuring a continuous workflow and faster delivery of new therapies.

Key considerations when evaluating FSP partners with remote-based regional hubs

Remote-based regional hubs are advantageous, but not all FSP partners are equally equipped to execute this approach.

As clinical development costs and timelines continue to increase, drug developers considering remote-based regional hub resources from an FSP partner to meet their timelines should look for the following criteria.

1. Comprehensive training and cross-training programs
Skilled FSP partners offer comprehensive training in soft skills and technology, access to real-time peer support, and global cross-training across functions and studies.

2. Detailed governance, oversight and management processes
Dedicated hub leads ensure operational efficiency and regulatory adherence, coordinate resources, monitor performance metrics and align with sponsor goals.

3. Robust infrastructure and technological support
Robust IT systems, communication platforms and remote collaboration tools are essential for crucial coordination between teams across time zones and regions.

4. Fast recruitment speed and specialized talent sourcing
Strong FSP partners have access to extensive talent networks, a streamlined hiring process and a bespoke talent delivery strategy to cater to client needs.

5. Better engagement and retention
Distributed models spread workloads across teams in different locations, preventing burnout and boosting engagement and retention.

6. Low attrition rates
Skilled FSP teams combine flexibility to adapt to specific client requirements while maintaining operational stability. In addition, their hiring practices should provide teams that demonstrate low attrition rates.

7. Proactive risk management
Distributed teams mitigate risk by providing continuity in the face of disruptions, whether due to regional economic shifts, political instability or public health crises.

8. Transparent communication and governance
Clearly defined engagement rules, structured oversight and consistent reporting mechanisms ensure transparency and alignment between sponsors and FSP teams.

Optimize your study with PPD FSP solutions’ remote-based regional hubs

PPD™ Functional Service Partnership (FSP) solutions embody the advantages of leveraging remote-based regional hubs in FSP partnerships through our robust approach to improving efficiency and managing timelines in clinical development. Our innovative approach to global resource hubs sets PPD FSP solutions apart. Unlike other contract research organizations (CROs) who rely on traditional brick-and-mortar office setups in select major cities for centralized hubs staffing, we employ a workforce that is geographically distributed and almost entirely remote. With strategically located remote-based regional hubs across Latin America, India, the Philippines, China and Central and Eastern Europe, our dedicated leaders understand the local culture and regulations, plus have extensive regional knowledge and expertise.

Our remote-based regional hubs also prioritize cross-training across logical functional combinations, as opposed to traditional training focusing solely on specific functions. This enables us to deliver flexibility in sourcing, while providing our staff with continuous professional and career development to further enhance engagement and their capabilities. As such, we deliver the best-suited and most cost-effective professionals for the job — wherever they are — to ensure projects launch on time and stay on budget.

Meet your timelines with PPD FSP solutions

PPD FSP solutions help biotech and biopharmaceutical companies meet their timelines by delivering the best of the best: hard-to-find, top-tier staff with a proven track record of reliably delivering clinical development and post-marketing services.

With more than 30 years of support for clinical and marketed products, we know what it takes to solve your specific challenges. Whether you need to fill small gaps in service or outsource multiple functions across a portfolio, we deliver customized solutions tailored to your needs to provide much-needed resource flexibility, reliability and continuity. For more information, visit our website.