UCLH accelerating research delivery

UCLH is accelerating clinical trial delivery so that patients gain access to new treatments sooner. The acceleration is happening through close collaboration between research teams and clinical services. The UK Government has set national standards to speed up clinical trial set-up, making the NHS a more attractive place to do research and bringing more investment and innovation into the UK. 

The opportunity to take part in research is important to patients and can be a vital part of receiving high‑quality care. Clinical trials offer access to innovative treatments today and are the route by which new drugs and therapies are brought into routine use across the UK. That is why UCLH is working to bring more trials to patients, more quickly, supported by its National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and NIHR Clinical Research Facility which provide vital underlying support for research at UCLH.

Pauline, 65, from Romford, Essex, works part time as a legal secretary and receptionist for a solicitors firm. She has been part of two early phase trials for advanced cancer at UCLH, and said:

“When my chemotherapy options were exhausted after 2 years of treatment, my local hospital called UCLH to see what research studies I could get involved in. This smooth referral process was an important part of my experience. Soon after I began taking part in a clinical trial at UCLH.

“While I was on the trial, I received some test results showing my disease was spreading, and the research and care team told me that as a result, I would need to stop participation on the trial I was on. However, my tears and fears were short lived, because they told me they had identified another trial I was more than likely suitable for, subject to my agreement. I started on this new trial at the end of 2025. It has been convenient for me to take part in these studies and they have fit around my care with no trouble - in fact, the research has just felt as part of my care.”

“The research team have been so good throughout the process. They have a genuine interest in my wellbeing and nothing is too much trouble for them. The fact that they identified an alternative trial for me shows the incredible lengths the doctors and team go to behind the scenes in the interests of treating trial patients seamlessly, with determination and care, thinking ahead of situations which may arise and coming up with a plan to offer an alternative treatment. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to the team for their foresight and quick action.”

More rapid set up times
Teams across UCLH are working together to drive progress against national timelines for study set-up. With concerted effort, over the last year the number of commercial studies opening within 60 days of ethical approval – a key part of the overall 150-day standard – has more than doubled.

UCLH is meeting the Government’s150-day standard for clinical trial set-up in a growing number of trials. More than 20 trials have now recruited their first patient within the 150-day timeline, including some of our more complex trials.  Recent examples include:

• the TRONTIER 2 trial in early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, set up in 44 days, with UCLH recruiting the first UK participant
• The TALISMAN trial in multiple myeloma, set up in 64 days, with UCLH recruiting the first UK participant.

Bringing more commercial studies to the UK 
The improvement in set‑up times has gone hand in hand with growth in the number of commercial studies hosted at UCLH. Between 2024 and 2025 the number of actively recruiting interventional commercial trials increased from 117 to 139. Through a newly established business development function, UCLH is working closely with its clinicians to attract more commercial trials to the UK, engaging with companies that have not previously worked in the UK market and opening up research opportunities in new disease areas. This work is in alignment with efforts by the new NIHR Industry Hub to attract more commercial trials to the UK.

Research recruitment firsts
Improvements in study set‑up at UCLH are reflected in the number of times the Trust has recruited the first patient into a trial – globally, in Europe or in the UK. Figures show UCLH had the highest number of first global and first European recruits to commercial research studies in the UK in 2025. 

Global firsts included: 

• recruiting the first person in the world to a CAR T‑cell therapy trial aiming to slow or halt the progression of multiple sclerosis 
• recruiting the first global participant to a study investigating how safe and effective the medicine Xromi® is for babies and toddlers with sickle cell disease. 

The impact of faster, better research delivery is felt most by patients.

How is UCLH driving quicker trials?
This progress in clinical trials set‑up at UCLH builds on work that began two years ago with an internal review and redesign of research delivery pathways. Delivery at this scale is enabled by multidisciplinary and multiprofessional teams, from clinicians and academics, to staff in the R&D office and in pharmacy and imaging, to research nurses and clinical trials practitioners delivering trials in the clinics.

Dr Nick McNally, Managing Director of Research at UCLH/UCL, said: “I’m proud of our teams for making this happen, particularly given the scale of our trials portfolio and the large number of complex early‑phase studies we deliver at UCLH, which naturally require more work to set up.  It is also great to be working collaboratively with other Trusts in London and nationally to identify where we can innovate and intervene in clinical trials delivery pathways to make them faster, bring about national change and create a stronger clinical trials environment across the country.”

UCLH Director of Research and Director of the NIHR UCLH BRC Prof Karl Peggs said: “Thanks to the expertise of our clinicians and research teams, we’re leading research at UCLH which is having true impact. We want to increase this impact even further. Making sure more and more studies at UCLH meet the 150-day standard is an important way of doing this, because the more studies that meet this standard, the quicker patients stand to benefit from our research in future.”

UCLH Chief Executive David Probert said: “Research is integral to what we do at UCLH. Having Board level oversight of research is essential because that is where the organisation sets the tone for our organisational research culture and provides oversight of our research performance. The improvements we are making in research delivery reflect the outstanding work of our clinical and research teams and their continued commitment to improving patient care through research.”

Dr Sharon Barrett, Network Director at the NIHR North London Regional Research Delivery Network, said: “I want to congratulate everyone at UCLH involved in delivering this outstanding progress.

“The value of visible and sustained support from research and development and at Board level creates the culture, accountability and pace required to deliver at this scale. When research is embedded as a core strategic priority — not an add-on — patients benefit sooner, industry has greater confidence to invest, and the NHS strengthens its global reputation.

“Ultimately, progress matters because it translates directly into patient impact. Stories like Pauline’s remind us why speed and coordination in research delivery are so important. Through continued leadership support and system-wide collaboration, we can ensure even more patients gain earlier access to innovative treatments and life-changing trials.”