Clinical Trials

Phase 2 of Clinical Trials

Image Description
Samantha Trolli

Published 02 Dec 2022 - Updated 02 Dec 2022

Phase 2 of Clinical Trials - Infiuss Health

Share

In phase 2 of a clinical trial, researchers investigate whether or not the drug works to prevent, treat, or cure a disease in a larger group of people than compared to Phase 1. This phase of clinical trials holds important steps towards the development of new treatments and medications, but these treatments may not be right for everyone. The main goal of the second phase in a clinical trial is to understand if the tested treatment truly has a positive impact on the disease of interest.

Phase 2 trials are the second step in testing experimental treatments that have shown promise during phase 1.

Phase 2 trials are the second step in testing experimental treatments that have shown promise during phase 1. Phase 1 trials test a drug on a small group of people to make sure it's safe and to determine the right dosage. Phase 2 tests whether or not the drug works in more people, more specifically people who are more representative of the general population. If a treatment moves past Phase 2, it will continue on for further testing in a Phase 3 clinical trial. 

Phase 3 of a clinical trial is designed to show what happens when a new medicine is given to an even larger group of patients (hundreds or thousands) over an extended period of time (years). During these studies, researchers carefully monitor how many participants drop out due to side effects and other problems with their treatment, then compare those numbers with similar data from earlier phases of clinical study. They also keep track of any health changes among those who complete their course of treatment without dropping out early due to side effects or other complications from taking part in clinical research.

Phase 2 trials can take many months or years to complete.

Phase 2 clinical trials can last anywhere from two to 10 years, depending on the drug and disease being studied. The time a phase 2 trial takes depends on many factors, including:

  • The type of disease being studied. Diseases that are rarer or more difficult to study may take longer than those that affect more people or are easier to study.
  • The type of drug being tested. Some drugs have been used in previous clinical trials and have already been shown effective in preventing or treating a disease; other drugs are new treatments for diseases that have not yet been thoroughly researched by medical researchers.

Phase 2 clinical trials are important steps on the road to new treatments but they may not be the right thing for everyone.

Phase 2 clinical trials are a necessary step on the road to new treatments, but they may not be right for everyone. While phase 1 trials are designed to test the safety of a treatment, phase 2 studies look at effectiveness and side effects. These types of studies help researchers determine the benefits, if any, there are for patients. 

There are risks in participating in this type of research study, even if it's considered safe with no serious side effects (though there may be some mild ones). Although participating in a phase 2 trial isn't guaranteed to help your condition improve, it could provide important information about how well the therapy works in people like you who have this disease or condition—and that's valuable for future planning by doctors and scientists all over the world.

Phase 2 clinical trials can be an option for people who want to advance research into their health condition, but they also may be a way to get access to new treatments before they are approved by regulators.

Phase 2 clinical trials can be an option for people who want to advance research into their health condition. They also may be a way to get access to new treatments before they are approved by regulators. In these studies, participants take part in several cycles of using the treatment while being monitored closely by doctors and researchers over time. The goal is that through this process we learn more about how well these products work while minimizing risk of side effects or serious harm caused by participating in such studies.

Participants in phase 2 trials are usually participating in a particular disorder or illness to determine if the treatment is effective.

Phase 2 trials typically include a small group of participants, usually healthy volunteers or patients with a particular disease or condition. Typically cohorts make up less than 100 people who have been identified as having or being at risk for developing a certain disease. These individuals are usually referred to as "study participants."

In phase 2 trials, test drugs are given to people who have not been diagnosed with a disease but who may be at risk for developing it. All of this is done in hopes of developing a new treatment option for thousands of people. 

Fewer than one in five investigational drugs pass phase 2 in development.

Phase 2 studies are first-in-human trials, in which participants receive the treatment under study for the first time. Phase 2 also provides a detailed assessment of safety, dosing, and therapeutic efficacy.

For a drug to pass phase 2 in development, it must meet several criteria. First and foremost is evidence that the experimental treatment does not cause serious adverse effects or other side effects that limit its use in patients with a specific condition. Second, there must be evidence that the new drug does have an effect on at least one measurable endpoint (such as improvement in symptoms), even if this effect is small compared to what would happen if doctors used standard treatments instead. Third, clinical studies should show that people receiving investigational drugs do not get worse while they are taking them—in other words: no harm done!

Finally—and this is often considered essential by regulatory agencies—success at phase 2 should lead to further research into how best to deliver these agents safely and effectively given their potential harms versus benefits vs those available therapies currently approved for use by doctors nationwide (or regionally). 

Find new health insights

Infiuss Health insights contains inspiring thought leadership on health issues and the future of health data management and new research.