Protocol Design Featured Articles

  1. Rethinking Clinical Trials In Rare Neurodegenerative Diseases: Lessons From Alterity's MSA Trial 2/24/2026

    Alterity Therapeutics CEO David Stamler shares how early diagnosis, biomarker-guided design, and precise patient selection positively impacted a trial in multiple system atrophy (MSA).

  2. Reprogramming The Tumor Microenvironment: Bringing A Metabolic Checkpoint Therapy Into The Clinic 2/20/2026

    Pilatus Biosciences CEO Raven Lin shares learnings from his company's early-stage oncology program.

  3. The Problem With Excluding Children From GLP-1 Trials In The U.S. 2/19/2026

    In the U.S., roughly 15 million children are obese. But many are excluded from GLP-1 research. Obesity expert Evan Nadler, MD, explains why that's problematic.

  4. FDA Issues Final Guidance On Clinical Trial Participation: What You Need To Do Now 2/13/2026

    On December 15, 2025, the FDA finalized its guidance Enhancing Participation in Clinical Trials, formally updating expectations for enrollment and trial design. Here's what you can do now.

  5. My SCOPE Groundhog Day Experience 2/12/2026

    From feasibility inefficiencies to overdesigned trials and overloaded investigative sites, the conversations at SCOPE were thoughtful and candid. The problem isn’t ignorance. It’s execution. Until simplification shows up in shorter timelines, leaner protocols, and measurable relief for sites, we may continue gathering each year to discuss the same issues — with the same data.

  6. These Four Things Are Helping Minovia Therapeutics' Rare Disease Trials 2/11/2026

    Minovia Therapeutics shares the importance of careful site selection, specialized operational expertise, multidisciplinary collaboration, and innovative trial design as it prepares for pivotal this year.

  7. Informed Consent Isn't Broken — But It's Barely Working 2/9/2026

    Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf has been blunt about what’s wrong with informed consent in clinical trials. In this article, we offer a high-level look at his three-part Substack series, exploring how consent became more about legal protection than patient understanding — and what needs to change.

  8. Becoming A Backbone Therapy: Lessons Learned With Actuate Therapeutics 2/5/2026

    CEO Dan Schmitt discusses the pursuit of a backbone therapy and how Actuate's current and planned trials are structured to confirm that potential.

  9. Why Dr. Robert Califf Isn't Pulling His Punches Anymore 1/30/2026

    In this exclusive video interview, former FDA commissioner Robert Califf, MD reflects on quality, risk aversion, misinformation, and why clinical trials need sharper focus — not more data. 

  10. Choosing Clinical Research … On Purpose 1/28/2026

    Most clinical research careers begin by accident. Rutgers University is trying to change that with formal training programs designed for today’s academic and industry trial environments. Barbara Tafuto, Ph.D., interim program director of the Master’s in Clinical Research Management program at Rutgers University, explains the program’s genesis and potential impact on the industry.