Vial, a next-generation CRO, site network and technology platform, recently announced the planned launch of an Ophthalmology CRO. As part of the planned launch, Vial has established an Ophthalmology Scientific Board in order to get feedback from PIs and leaders in the field before the CRO launch. Vial is pleased to announce that Dr. Nancy Holekamp of the Pepose Vision Institute was brought on as an advisor. Dr. Holekamp joins the founding member, Dr. Arshad Khanani, on the Ophthalmology SAB. The Ophthalmology CRO is the next growth area for a model that has delivered trial outcomes for sponsors in other Therapeutic Areas.
Dr. Holekamp currently serves as the Director of Retina Services at the Pepose Vision Institute in St. Louis, MO. Prior to her role there, she was a Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr. Holekamp received her Medical Degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Alpha Omega Alpha. After earning her degree, she completed an internship and residency at the Washington University School of Medicine, followed by fellowship training in vitreoretinal surgery at the Retina Consultants in St. Louis.
Throughout her career, Dr. Holekamp has been the principal investigator or sub-investigator for 35+ ophthalmic trials. The trials she has participated in include some of the most prevalent indications in retina, including age-related macular degeneration, retinal vascular occlusion, and diabetic retinopathy. Her research efforts have resulted in 80+ publications, 20+ book chapters, and 120+ national and international speaking invitations. Dr. Holekamp acts as a reviewer for all of the major Ophthalmology journals and as a consultant to numerous ophthalmic pharmaceutical companies. In addition, she is an active member of the Retina Society and the Macula Society.
“The world of Ophthalmology research is constantly evolving and I believe that Vial can be a major contributor to accelerating that progress. I look forward to advising the Vial team on their Ophthalmology CRO in order to solve many of the challenges I’ve seen first-hand as a PI,” said Dr. Holekamp on her new position.
Vial’s next-generation CRO is working to reimagine clinical trials. Through a technology platform and operations playbook, Vial has built “The CRO Built for Sponsors” that promises faster execution and higher quality trial outcomes. After launching in Dermatology, the Vial CRO has worked with Ophthalmic sponsors (posterior and anterior) to refine the next-gen CRO model with strong traction in Dermatology to the nuances of Ophthalmology. Vial’s core CRO operating system that delivers on the promises of better trial outcomes is the result of investments in technology (tech-enabled trial management system, EMR filtering for leading Ophthalmic EMRs including MDIntelleSys) and operational excellence (streamlined study startup processes, centralized pre-screening call center, and a dedicated patient recruiting team).
See the full release here.
Vial’s mission is to empower scientists to cure all human disease. Vial has executed on that vision by launching a next-generation CRO (live in Dermatology CRO, with slated launches in Ophthalmology CRO, Oncology CRO, Gastroenterology CRO and a Neurology CRO) a site network (Dermatology Clinical Trials, Ophthalmology Clinical Trials, Gastroenterology Clinical Trials, Women’s Health Clinical Trials, Neurology Clinical Trials) and technology platform (VialConnect CTMS) to accelerate research. Vial has over 125 employees and is based in San Francisco, California and has contributed to over 750 trials from Phase I through Phase IV.