etrials announced 10 new contract wins from four contract research organizations (CROs) in the recent quarter. Only three of the trials will be handled for existing customers. “The contracts include two Phase I, four Phase II, three Phase III trials and one Phase IV trial with up to 800 subjects and 120 sites per trial,” etrials said in a news release.

In a vindication of its efforts to have a product suite encompassing more than just electronic data capture (EDC), the North Carolina company said that “a majority” of the 10 new contracts involved a second e-clinical tool. The company can offer customers a clinical trial management system (CTMS), an interactive voice response (IVR) component or an electronic patient diary.

Two of the CROs, etrials said, have signed technology transfer agreements. Under such deals, the customer brings much of the work of starting a trial in-house.

“Throughout 2006, our dedicated team has made the CRO Partnership Program a focus. This will remain an important element of our strategy going forward,” said John Cline, etrials’ CEO. “Our seamless integration with these customers makes us a strong and valued partner. As we continue to advance and differentiate our solutions in the marketplace, we feel confident that this sales channel and our work with new and existing customers will continue to grow going forward.” Since its inception in 1999, etrials has facilitated over 900 trials involving more than 400,000 patients in 60 countries, and has participated in 33 studies used for new drug applications in the course of working with more than 100 clients, including 16 of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies.

In many cases, the CRO selects a technology partner at the behest of a sponsor paying for a trial. But in other cases, sponsors merely indicate a preference for EDC to be used in a trial, and defer to the CRO to select a suitable technology partner. As such, the CRO industry appears to be on the verge of a warmer embrace of technology partners.

For years, many technology firms in the industry had reported wary encounters with CROs, which seem to have been concerned about sharing project budgets and sponsor access. Now, with EDC becoming a more standard, obligatory component of all clinical trials, some CROs appear to be realizing that more routine diplomatic relations with technology firms could expedite deploying both services and technology.