Clinical Trials

Why are Clinical Trials Important?

A clinical trial is a scientific study that helps determine if and how a medicine works in people. Every clinical trial participant provides valuable information that might help improve medical research and knowledge. Through clinical trials, we are given the chance to discover new and improved medicines to make life better for people around the world.

Our Commitment

At Lilly, we have a long history of commitment to transparency and the sharing of data. We know that transparency and data sharing is crucial in enhancing public health, safeguarding the privacy of patients, respecting the integrity of national regulatory systems, and maintaining incentives for investment in biomedical research.

In 2004, Lilly became the first company to voluntarily disclose the initiation of our clinical studies and post study results in a publicly available registry. Since the start of 2014, Lilly has enhanced our transparency initiatives in alignment with the PhRMA/EFPIA Principles for Responsible Clinical Trial Data Sharing.

We continue to share clinical trial results of all sponsored Phase I, Phase II, Phase III and Phase IV clinical trials of Lilly marketed products conducted anywhere in the world on the US clinical trials database at clinicaltrials.gov regardless if the data was favourable or not. Additionally, we provide updates to the European database at clinicatrialsregister.eu regarding many aspects of clinical research and development, including the location of where clinical studies are being conducted.

Lilly also seeks to publish study results – both positive and negative – through other channels, such as peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences.

Lilly UK Clinical Trials

Between 2019 and end of 2023, we have invested £535 million in our UK research operations. We currently have 50 clinical trials ongoing across 260 study locations, in areas including diabetes, oncology, immunotherapy, pain and neurodegeneration.

Diversity in Clinical Trials

Responses to medicines can vary depending on a number of factors, including someone’s genetic background, ethnicity, gender and lifestyle.

This is why it’s critical for Lilly to have diverse representation in clinical trials – to gain the insights necessary to make medicines that will be the most effective for all people who use them.

Minority populations have been historically and consistently underrepresented in clinical trials. As a result, important information about how medicines work in minority populations is not always available. In response, Lilly has developed a clinical trial diversity strategy to better understand patient differences that may affect clinical outcomes. The ultimate goal of our clinical trial diversity strategy is to improve health outcomes for individual patients.

Independent Clinical Research

In addition to sponsoring our own clinical research and research collaborations, Lilly has programs for considering external requests for Lilly provision of study drug and/or financial support for independent clinical research that is initiated, designed and sponsored by external researchers.

Lilly considers such requests for support of independent clinical research projects based on scientific merit and strategic fit with Lilly’s areas of research interest. These reviews are carried out by global committees composed of Lilly medical and scientific staff members from relevant therapeutic areas.

Healthcare and research professionals may submit a concept online.