What does it take to generate better clinical evidence faster?
Greg Licholai joins David Berry on Averin Insights to explore the changing economics and geography of clinical research. Their conversation moves from China’s clinical trial growth and cross-border licensing to globally integrated biotech companies, protocol simulation, and the work of improving trial design.
Understanding China’s research growth
Drawing on his experience in global drug development and visits to Asia, Greg discusses the systems supporting clinical research in China. He explains why local trial costs and timelines do not automatically translate to multinational development programs, and why data quality, patient protection, and global requirements remain central to the discussion.
Building across borders
The conversation turns to the implications for biotech financing, licensing, and pharmaceutical strategy. Greg describes the emergence of companies with operations and leadership spanning China and Western markets. These businesses are planning for global development earlier, navigating the demands of multiple research systems while pursuing scientific differentiation.
Designing more informative trials
More data does not automatically resolve the difficulty of predicting whether a medicine will succeed. Greg and David explore the potential for protocol simulation to support better design decisions using historical trial and site data. They also discuss why teams developing innovative science can be reluctant to adopt unfamiliar clinical research approaches.
The conversation closes with Greg’s reflections on learning from other research systems and applying those lessons to improve the path from discovery to evidence.
Watch the full conversation on YouTube or listen on Spotify.
