Clinical trials specialist wins top industry award

Preston-based Panthera Biopartners has been named Pharma Research Centre of the Year at the Pharma Industry Awards UK 2023.

The award was given in recognition of the company's innovative SMO (Site Management Organisation) model, which focuses on speed of start-up, access to more than a million patients - many prequalified - and digitisation of contact and qualification of patients and the running of clinical trials.

In ten clinical trials carried out in the last 18 months, Panthera has been the top recruiter in the UK, top recruiter globally, and has been the first to enrol a patient – key measures for clients.

Panthera was founded in 2019 by Dr Ian Smith, founder of Synexus, and Prof John Lyon who was previously a global executive in CRO Covance, 

Stuart Young, chief executive of Panthera, said: "This is a real tribute to our team, one of the most experienced in the industry, which has developed a new model which has attracted interest from pharma and CROs across the world. In just four years we have become the leading UK SMO."