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The decision to partner with a Clinical Research Organization (CRO) is never taken lightly—especially in oncology. With high complexity, accelerated timelines, and evolving regulatory expectations, the stakes in oncology drug development are uniquely high. That's why the experience, mindset, and methodology of your CRO can significantly impact whether your program stalls or succeeds.
At the recent Clinical Leader Solutions Expo, Cindy Henderson, Chief Strategy Officer at Veristat, shared valuable lessons from Veristat’s 30-year history supporting oncology sponsors. With 40+ cancer therapies brought to market and deep expertise across regulatory, statistical, and operational domains, Veristat has seen firsthand what separates successful CRO partnerships from the rest.
If you're evaluating a CRO to support your oncology development, here are three key qualities to look for:
1️⃣ Look for a Partner That Prioritizes Collaboration
Cindy emphasized this point throughout her talk: true partnership requires integration, not silos. Oncology trials are complex by nature—often involving adaptive designs, novel modalities, or rare indications—and no one function can operate in isolation.
“These are not silos that work independently,” Cindy said. “We bring together biostatistics, medical writing, clinical operations, regulatory, and the sponsor to make sure every stakeholder’s perspective is part of the plan.”
Whether designing an electronic data capture (EDC) system or preparing an NDA, Veristat brings clinical experts, statisticians, and medical writers into the process early—ensuring that trial design, data collection, and regulatory requirements are aligned from the start. This integrated approach improves site understanding, boosts enrollment, and minimizes delays from miscommunication or rework.
A CRO should feel like an extension of your internal team, actively solving problems and co-owning outcomes. If you feel like you’re handing work over a fence, you’re not working with the right partner.
2️⃣ Choose a CRO That Plans with the End in Mind
One of the most common mistakes in oncology clinical development is treating each phase of the trial as a standalone effort. According to Cindy, the best outcomes come from mapping backward from your end goal—whether that’s a regulatory submission, commercial launch, or out-licensing after Phase 2.
“Are you aiming to commercialize, or are you preparing to partner after early-stage trials? Your corporate goals shape everything—trial design, geographic strategy, even your approach to reimbursement,” she explained.
Veristat works with sponsors to define the full clinical development plan upfront, aligning each milestone with long-term objectives. That includes selecting the right countries, building scalable data infrastructure, and preparing regulatory strategies that reflect market entry needs. In one case, the Veristat team supported a sponsor through a delayed Phase 3 trial database lock and still met a year-end NDA deadline—by designing an interim data cut strategy and live document editing process that enabled parallel progress.
If your CRO isn’t asking about your business strategy and long-term goals, they’re not truly setting you up for success.
3️⃣ Insist on Transparent, Two-Way Communication
Oncology trials are filled with unknowns—unexpected enrollment challenges, evolving regulatory expectations, and logistical complexities (especially for novel modalities like radiopharmaceuticals and cell therapies). What separates successful programs from stalled ones is how quickly and collaboratively teams respond.
“Clinical trials will have challenges. The difference is how we face them—through open communication, aligned goals, and rapid, cross-functional problem-solving,” Cindy noted.
At Veristat, transparency isn’t a buzzword—it’s built into the process. The team conducts regular governance meetings with sponsors, as well as feedback surveys with key sponsor contacts and sites to identify bottlenecks and adjust proactively. This keeps everyone aligned on timelines, expectations, and decisions.
For example, in a trial with an adaptive design including enrichment and futility elements, Veristat developed simplified visual aids and hosted site trainings with statisticians and medical leads to ensure everyone—down to site coordinators—understood how the trial design functioned. The result: higher engagement, stronger enrollment, and better site performance.
Your CRO should be a source of clarity, not confusion. If communication feels reactive or one-sided, that’s a red flag.
➡️ Final Thoughts
Choosing an oncology CRO is about more than technical capabilities—it’s about mindset, alignment, and trust. You need a partner who sees your challenges as their own, who understands the science and strategy, and who brings the creativity and structure needed to navigate a high-stakes development path.
As Cindy Henderson shared, “We have to work together as one team to achieve the end results—to better serve patients and get these compounds to the patients much faster.”
If you're navigating complex oncology development and need a CRO that brings clarity, flexibility, and deep experience—Veristat is ready to help.
📩 Contact us today to start a conversation about how we can accelerate your oncology program:
Cindy Henderson
Chief Strategy Officer
Cindy Henderson is Chief Strategy Officer at Veristat and a key member of our Executive Leadership Team (ELT) team. In her role, Cindy leads the overall company strategy development and oversees the implementation of associated customer-centric growth plans while ensuring Veristat maintains its focus and alignment with our mission and vision. With over 30 years of experience, 15 with Veristat, Cindy brings a unique blend of commercial leadership and customer acumen necessary to support the intricate and dynamic requirements of Veristat's growing global service offerings and client base. She is instrumental in helping our clients succeed amidst rising drug development costs, growing complexities, and increased regulatory requirements.