Later this month, experts from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry and patient advocacy space will gather in Munich, Germany, to provide an in-depth exploration of the ongoing challenges for the clinical development sector in the rare diseases and oncology space, and discuss potential solutions.
The two co-located conferences – the 2nd Annual Clinical Trials in Rare Diseases Europe (CTRD) 2025 and the 12th Annual Clinical Trials in Oncology Europe (CTO) 2025, will take place 26–27 September.
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A common theme across the two conferences is how artificial intelligence (AI) can be integrated within clinical trial design and management to enhance processes. From optimising site selection and patient recruitment to revolutionising data collection and analysis, experts will dissect the ways in which innovation can be harnessed throughout drug development.
In addition to companies such as Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Heidelberg Pharma and Syneos Health, representatives from the International Porphyria Patient Network and Roel Rotterdam & Patient Experience Association will also speak at the conferences.
Clinical trials in rare diseases
The CTRD conference will open with a keynote speech from Ivo Timmermans, co-chief executive officer at the Nijmegen, Netherlands-based Pleco Therapeutics, on funding and budgeting strategies for clinical trials run by small and medium-sized biotechs. He will cover best practices to ensure trials are cost effective while maintaining quality and patient safety, and will share insights on how to tackle investors.
One of the main challenges in the rare disease space is finding clinical trial participants from small patient groups. Speakers at the CTRD conference will address these challenges head-on offering practical solutions that integrate novel technologies.
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By GlobalDataOn the second day, a panel moderated by Erela Dana, director of neurology and immunology at GlobalData, will discuss how innovation will shape the future of clinical research in rare diseases. Panellists will consider how study protocol design can be simplified and how social media can be leveraged to recruit patients, among other topics.
Clinical trials in oncology
On the first day of the CTO conference, Matt Cooper, executive director, therapeutic strategy lead, oncology at Worldwide Clinical trials, will present on current trends with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T trials in the oncology space. The session will also look at how a new understanding of regulatory, design, and operational processes can be applied to the wave of CAR-T trials coming through in rare diseases.
Day two at the CTO meeting will include a presentation by Denise Lee, vice president of clinical operations at Heidelberg Pharma, on how biotechs can build a data-driven CRO selection strategy. During this session, Lee will detail an objective and reproducible model to transform CRO selection, and provide insights on methods for quantifying performance, cost and quality trade-offs.
Both conferences will then end with a panel discussion on how AI is powering the development of the next generation of therapeutics.
A detailed agenda for the Clinical Trials in Rare Diseases Europe 2025 can be found here, and the agenda for Clinical Trials in Oncology Europe 2025 can be accessed here.
The conferences are hosted by Arena International Events Group, a B2B events company owned by GlobalData, the parent company of Clinical Trials Arena and Pharmaceutical Technology.
