Case Study: Global Study Startup Management achieves twice-as-fast site activation and streamlined study startup with Advarra

Global CRO Drives Study Startup Efficiency by Converting Local IRB Sites to Central IRB Review

Global Study Startup Management at PRA Health Sciences faced lengthy site activation timelines because about 70% of sites relied on local IRBs, which typically took twice as long as central IRB review. To flip that ratio and gain transparency and time savings, they partnered with Advarra, using Advarra as the study’s central IRB and leveraging tools like the Advarra CIRBI platform and IRB‑Ready services.

Advarra worked with Global Study Startup Management to revise SRQs, invitation letters, call scripts, training and site startup processes and to help sites establish reliance agreements. In less than two years sites relying on Advarra grew to ~54%, central‑IRB sites activated in a median 78 business days versus 160 for local IRBs (135 for both), effectively doubling activation speed, shortening startup timelines and reducing sponsor costs.