Successfully Implementing an FSP Partnership in Today’s Clinical Development Landscape

When implementing an FSP partnership, consider these approaches for clinical development success.

The drug development landscape continues to grow in complexity and cost. A survey of the industry demonstrates this increase and shows nearly two-thirds of customers in the industry now use FSP and insourcing/temp staff — or a hybrid of FSP and full-service outsourcing (FSO) models — to more efficiently complement their specific needs and capabilities.

When launching an FSP partnership, sponsors need a partner that provides a seamless and efficient transition and establishes a strong foundation in a constantly changing landscape. Drug developers should consider several approaches when implementing an FSP partnership that is fit-for-purpose and positioned for optimal performance.

Better manage complexity with the right expertise

One of the most critical success factors in the clinical development landscape is having the right team. To adequately manage the highly dynamic and complex nature of the industry, staffing needs to be tailored and flexible to quickly hire the right people with the right expertise at the right time. This requires robust, well-structured staffing strategies with a proven history of success.

Because each clinical development project has unique goals and staffing requirements, it’s crucial to employ a fit-for-purpose FSP recruitment strategy that combines agility with a deep internal talent pool to deliver a highly targeted group of experts to sponsors.

Other strategies that enable success include dedicated leadership, skilled capabilities that align with portfolio needs, an environment of collaboration with a foundation of high-quality training and development, and a lower than industry average turnover rate to ensure stability and continuity. Your FSP partner should feel like an extension of your team and possess the expertise to quickly and efficiently execute.

Sponsors should have access to professionals dedicated to launching their projects, team selection, onboarding and training, and supporting their evolving needs. PPD™ Functional Service Partnership (FSP) solutions excel at this through the coordinated efforts of two key roles: the operations delivery lead (ODL) and the implementation lead (IL). The ODL serves as the primary contact for partnerships, focusing on strategic planning, resource management, and ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery through high-touch communication. Meanwhile, the IL supports the ODL by managing and overseeing resources, IT, finance and legal aspects, reducing client burden and ensuring timely project launches. Together, they deliver comprehensive oversight, optimization and proactive communication to drive project success. These roles are essential for success, enabling a robust strategy for initiating new partnerships, building relationships and establishing trust, and ensuring alignment throughout the project.

Optimize resource allocation and efficiencies with a global reach

An effective FSP partner has the global reach required to expand capabilities and meet your timelines. A global mindset ensures that sponsors can navigate the complexities of drug development with confidence, achieving successful outcomes while staying ahead of industry trends.

As costs continue to rise, gaining access to additional capabilities around the globe enables greater efficiency and flexibility. Sponsors should look for an FSP partner with access to global resources, the expertise to navigate and utilize them effectively, and optimized approaches that ensure reliability and continuity. One example of a global strategy is the follow-the-sun model, which involves teams across different time zones handing off work to ensure continuous progress around the clock. This model, combined with operations in cost-effective locations, helps reduce resource strain while improving on-time and on-budget delivery.

Remote-based regional hubs are another example of global resource optimization for an FSP partner. PPD FSP solutions feature remote-based regional hubs in five regions — Latin America, India, China, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Philippines. These hubs ensure maximum coverage and effective management of time-sensitive deliverables by overseeing workload planning across regions, independent of the client’s time zone. Having access to these globally dispersed resources provides flexibility, quality, and cost-predictability, helping clients manage fluctuating workloads and streamline processes. This strategic approach enhances efficiency, productivity, and value, ensures progress, and supports successful, timely project outcomes.

Utilize bespoke partnerships with timely delivery and reliable communication

The right partner provides a global reach and capable team alongside a proven track record of timely delivery and consistent communication. In the complex field of clinical development, timely delivery is essential. The best FSP partners demonstrate this through their ability to quickly ramp up engagements and ensure projects launch on time and stay within budget. This requires a skilled team with efficient systems and solutions tailored to the needs of each project.

Bespoke solutions are critical for successful drug development because each clinical research project has unique goals and challenges. An FSP partner dedicated to understanding the unique needs of each sponsor tailors their approach to fit these specific requirements, ensuring the project is aligned with the sponsor’s objectives. This combination of bespoke solutions and a proven history of timely delivery drives effective project execution.

Clear and consistent communication is another critical factor that enables timely delivery and success. Effective FSP partners establish robust communication channels from the outset, ensuring that sponsors are always informed and aligned with the project’s progress. This involves proactive planning, strategizing for a seamless kick-off, and maintaining transparent communication throughout the engagement. Such communication quickly addresses issues and makes necessary adjustments to keep the project on track, ensuring successful implementation and on-time delivery.

By focusing on bespoke solutions, timely delivery and reliable communication, an FSP partnership better meets the unique needs of a sponsor, enabling successful project outcomes and advancing drug development more efficiently.

Meet your timelines with PPD FSP solutions

The right partner demonstrates dependability, transparent communication and the ability to consistently meet timelines to tackle the challenges of the drug development field today. PPD FSP solutions embody these qualities, evolving seamlessly with the needs of our sponsors to provide much-needed resource flexibility, reliability and continuity. With more than 30 years of experience supporting clients across more than 160 countries, we have the expertise and resources necessary to create and implement bespoke solutions tailored to each partner. We provide the depth and breadth of expertise required to help our clients meet their timelines and accelerate the development of life-changing therapies.