Why Early CRO Choice Is Critical To Accelerating Delivery Of Your Clinical Program

By Liahna Toy, Vice President, Commercial Business Development

Early-stage biotech companies face intense pressure to balance capital efficiency with the need to reach critical clinical milestones quickly. While Australia has emerged as a preferred location for Phase I trials due to its pragmatic regulatory environment, accelerated timelines, globally accepted data, and attractive R&D incentives, the full value of these advantages depends on early CRO selection. Treating Phase I as a discrete, cost-driven decision often introduces downstream inefficiencies, including regulatory misalignment, operational discontinuity, and significant delays transitioning into Phase II.

Opting to prioritize CRO choice at the outset of clinical development directly impacts development speed, program cost, and valuation inflection. By selecting a partner with global regulatory expertise, operational continuity across phases, and incentives aligned with long-term program success, early-stage biotechs can reduce hidden transition costs, preserve institutional knowledge, and accelerate progression into Phase II. Download the full article to explore how designing Phase I with downstream execution in mind transforms early clinical work from a tactical exercise into a driver of sustained development and commercial value.