Year-In-Review: Clinical Research Today And Tomorrow

By Geert Jan Groeneveld, CEO

The clinical trial landscape of 2025 reflected a striking imbalance: although overall venture funding increased, fewer biotech companies actually secured the capital needed to advance their programs. This mismatch fueled heightened risk aversion across the industry, pushing investors toward safer, more validated mechanisms and leaving many early-stage biotechs competing not only on science but on investor psychology. In response, numerous emerging companies adopted minimalistic first-in-human strategies designed to reach early milestones quickly, often at the expense of deeper mechanistic understanding.

Yet this approach created its own risks. Without robust proof of pharmacology or proof of mechanism, programs frequently advanced into Phase 2 without the insights necessary to truly de-risk novel therapeutics. As scientific rigor became a casualty of financial pressure, a growing body of research underscored the value of early, evidence-rich development strategies powered by validated biomarkers, models, and physiological tools.

As the industry prepares for 2026, sponsors and investors alike face a pivotal moment — one that demands a more deliberate, insight-driven approach to early clinical development.

Explore how deeper early-stage evidence can reshape strategy and competitiveness in 2026.