ICON and Advarra Introduce New 'Research-Ready,' Connected Site Network Model
- Partnership will integrate ICON's clinical trial technology with Advarra's purpose-built system for research sites, embedded across a broad, deeply established global network.
- Partnership will reduce administrative friction, accelerate study startup, and increase clinical trial participation.
ICON plc (NASDAQ:ICLR), a world-leading clinical research organisation, and Advarra, the market leader in regulatory reviews and a leading provider of connected, intelligence-powered research technology, have entered a definitive partnership agreement to introduce a new ‘research-ready,' connected site network model for clinical trials.
The partnership will integrate ICON's global clinical trial solutions and services with Advarra's site CTMSs, eISF, and eSource systems, which are already used by more than 50,000 investigators worldwide, including researchers at 90 of the top 125 academic medical centers, 90 percent of NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, and the top site networks. This approach leverages Advarra's Study Collaboration as the connector to ICON's proprietary technology to create a shared operating environment for ICON studies that reduces administrative friction, accelerates study startup, and increases clinical trial participation.
Advarra will also provide ICON with deep operational intelligence through Study Collaboration, built on Braid™, Advarra's data and AI platform that draws on operational insights from its IRB and clinical trial systems. The intelligence will help ICON further optimise protocol design, improve forecasting and study planning, and strengthen research site identification and feasibility decisions. With a clearer understanding of research site capacity, workflow realities, and historical operational patterns, studies can be planned more realistically and executed with fewer downstream adjustments.
In addition, ICON and Advarra will work together to expand access to clinical trials by enabling more research sites worldwide to support today's increasingly complex study requirements. The companies plan to equip emerging and research-naïve sites, along with select sites working with ICON, with Advarra's site technology, helping standardise operations and reduce manual processes. This will provide sponsors with a way to accelerate study startup and engage a broader and more geographically diverse set of research sites, and improve patient recruitment and retention.
"Research sites should not have to adapt their operations for every new study or sponsor, and ICON and Advarra are focused on meeting sites where they are, prioritising their needs and removing that burden through this partnership," said Barry Balfe, CEO of ICON plc. "By aligning ICON's workflows with the systems sites already use every day, we're advancing a more practical and scalable way to run trials that reduces administrative burden on sites."
Advarra's systems serve as the lifeblood of site operations—from financial management to regulatory compliance and participant visit workflows. In the last year, Advarra's site systems were used to manage over four billion dollars in trial invoice value, over three million patient visits, and over two million electronic documents and signatures. For research sites, this partnership means studies can be managed within the systems they already use day to day, without duplicating work across platforms. Study information, training materials, document exchange, and enrollment activity will feed seamlessly into site workflows, while ICON and sponsor teams gain shared, real-time visibility into how their studies are progressing, from startup through conduct.
"Sites do their best work when they can stay focused on patients and study delivery, not on managing fragmented processes," said Gadi Saarony, CEO of Advarra. "By integrating ICON's technology with the Advarra systems sites already use, this partnership allows sites to work in their native systems, reducing rework, improving consistency, and streamlining workflows. For sponsors, it means trials can move forward with greater speed and confidence, helping promising therapies move through development more efficiently and reach patients sooner."
About ICON plc
ICON plc is a world-leading clinical research organisation. Offering deep operational and medical expertise we accelerate innovation, driving emerging therapies forward to improve patient outcomes. From molecule to medicine, we deliver integrated consulting, clinical development, commercialisation and post-marketing solutions to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, government and public health organisations worldwide. With headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, ICON employed approximately 40,100 employees in 97 locations in 55 countries as of December 31, 2025. For further information about ICON, visit: www.iconplc.com.
About Advarra
Advarra provides the platform, insights, and expertise that make clinical trials more efficient and connected. As the leading independent IRB, we bring more than 40 years of trusted oversight to the industry, setting the standard for ethical reviews while building the largest collection of digitized protocols and operational data. This combined intelligence guides the protocol's entire journey—from design through review, activation, and conduct—fueling a smarter, more adaptive research ecosystem.
Backed by decades of partnership with research sites, Advarra delivers the core systems and services that 50,000 investigators and their study teams depend on for optimal trial operations. Integrated with our solutions for study design, startup, and conduct, these capabilities create a collaborative technology platform trusted by sponsors and CROs globally.
By designing AI-powered workflows that streamline operations, reduce administrative burden, and promote transparency for all study stakeholders, we're reimagining what's possible in clinical research. Learn more at www.advarra.com.
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