How A Strategic Bioanalysis CRO Partnership Empowers Sponsors

By Ander Tallett, COO and Co-Founder, Dash Bio

Selecting the right bioanalysis CRO is vital for drug development, as the wrong partner can jeopardize timelines and cause cost overruns exceeding 50+% of the planned budget. Despite ubiquitous CRO marketing claims of quality and speed, many sponsors experience a frustrating disconnect between promises and reality.

To succeed, sponsors must shift from viewing bioanalysis as a transaction to demanding a true partnership. This involves challenging outdated, manual workflows in favor of tech-driven approaches and demanding transparency to eliminate "black box" sample tracking and misaligned incentives, like hourly billing for rework.

By leveraging current market capacity, sponsors can reclaim operational control through fixed-price contracts and performance incentives. Avoiding hidden "gotchas" like excessive rush fees or scope creep is essential. Ultimately, empowerment comes from choosing a partner that utilizes automation and digital platforms to provide real-time visibility, ensuring repeatable, regulatory-ready data and predictable program success.