The APAC Imperative For Phase III Trials: A Practical Guide To Harnessing The Value Of APAC For Global Trial Success

By James Cheong, SVP, Asia Pacific, Clinical Solutions, JingPing Yeo, PhD, MBA, VP, Clinical Operations and Head of APAC, Zhenfei Yin, China Country Head & Sr. Director, Project Management, and Sean Hart, Strategic Advisor for Business Solutions

Phase III costs averaged $36.58 million in 2024, a 30% increase from 2018, and recruitment periods have continued to lengthen. For sponsors navigating these pressures, APAC is no longer a contingency option. Between 2008 and 2023, APAC's share of global Phase III trial sites grew by 12% while site share declined in both the US and EU, and the region's role is shifting: China-based companies now originate approximately 54% of global antibody-drug conjugate assets in Phase I/II development, with many leading their own global Phase III programs.

Yet for sponsors without established in-region presence, the path to capturing APAC's value is rarely straightforward. Drawing on nearly 100 years of cumulative APAC clinical development experience, authors James Cheong, JingPing Yeo, Zhenfei Yin, and Sean Hart examine where the real advantages lie, which misconceptions still hold sponsors back, and what a viable execution strategy actually requires across regulatory, operational, and cultural dimensions.