Completed Trials Climb At Faster Pace

In 2024, the number of industry-sponsored clinical trials reaching completion accelerated significantly, with 4,903 Phase I–IV studies achieving completed status or primary endpoints—a 14.2% increase from 2023 and the largest annual gain in eight years. Oncology continued to dominate therapeutic area (TA) activity, while metabolic/endocrinology advanced further ahead of infectious diseases, driven largely by obesity trial completions. Early-phase activity remained strong, with oncology and vaccines showing above-average proportions of Phase I/II completions (15.3% and 11.5%, respectively).

Disease-level rankings shifted, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) overtaking COVID-19 to claim the top position for completed trials. Breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, COVID-19, and colorectal cancer rounded out the top five. Sponsor rankings also evolved: Merck & Co. displaced Pfizer as the leading company by completed trials, while Roche reentered the top five. These findings highlight a dynamic clinical research landscape, with oncology maintaining dominance, metabolic/endocrinology gaining momentum, and trial completion activity expanding across sponsors and therapeutic areas.