Completed Clinical Trials, Terminations Both Rose In 2023

By Laura Runkel, Ph.D., Associate Director, Citeline

Trialtrove recorded 4,295 industry-sponsored clinical trials from Phase 1 through Phase 3/4 that either reached completion or reported primary endpoints during 2023. This represents a 10.7% increase from the 3,881 completed trials in 2022, marking a return to growth. Additionally, 1,030 trials were terminated in 2023, an 8.1% rise from 2022's 953 terminations. Since 2020, completed trial counts have alternated between annual decreases (2020 and 2022) and increases (2021 and 2023).

Unlike the fluctuations during the pandemic period, all therapeutic areas (TAs) saw higher completions in 2023. Growth in infectious diseases (ID) was minimal compared to other TAs, while the central nervous system (CNS) returned to the top three TAs for the first time since 2020. This broad increase in annual trial completions indicates a reduction in COVID-19-related disruptions.

The top 20 companies continue to dominate trial counts, with all other pharma (AOP) companies expanding their share of completed trials, particularly in specific geographic and disease niches. This white paper highlights how the widespread growth in completed trials is coupled with higher success rates across multiple TAs, signaling the end of pandemic-related disruptions and infectious disease-related activity after three years of fluctuations.