Trialogics Expands the Use of Samsung Devices to Collect Clinical Trial Data in Real Time

By Alex Keown

August 2, 2023

Trialogics is blazing a trail in clinical trial software and services with its technology-driven data-collection platform.

The company is leveraging the power of cloud-based, mobile technology solutions in order to collect real-time data from clinical trial participants. The Wilmington, Delaware-based company deploys Samsung devices with mobile data plans to clinical trial sites and patients to support a results-driven approach to clinical trials.

When he began the company in 2016, Trialogics Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Christopher Gropp, saw a “big hole” in clinical trials, particularly when it came to the adoption of new technologies that allow for real-time data collection. Trialogics was launched to address that gap; a gap that was widely exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There are better ways to do things, and we need to start using technology to leverage efficiencies in clinical trials,” Gropp said.

Sponsors and CROs that partner with Trialogics receive Samsung devices for their clinical sites and patients.  These include laptops, Chromebooks, tablets, and smartwatches. The patients use tablets and other devices to complete study information which includes daily diaries, compliance records, and questionnaires. The tablet’s camera can be enabled to take photos, if necessary. Smartwatches can capture real-time data such as steps taken, assess sleep patterns or track heart rate.  In addition, patients can be assigned other devices a trial may call for, such as blood pressure cuffs, scales or thermometers.

Gropp said the use of mobile, connected devices allows clinical research teams to adapt to meet the rapidly changing needs within the industry. As soon as the patient logs their information, it is immediately transmitted to a database associated with the clinical trial, which in turn allows clinicians to review the data immediately. The use of real-world data in real-time provides clinicians with the necessary information to identify trends and make quick and informed decisions during the course of a study. This kind of approach also significantly cuts down on the amount of patient-reported paperwork accumulated at a trial site and minimizes the number of errors related to data entry and may shorten the duration of a trial.

“Getting the correct information quicker allows clinical research teams to make fast, informed decisions,” Gropp said.

Another key benefit of the mobile devices is the ability to prompt patients to input data in a timely manner. Trialogics delivers real-time reminders to patients based on the data collected reminding them to complete their entries. Those reminders help as Trialogics has seen compliance rates approaching 98% in some trials. “That’s just an incredible response rate. We’ve seen that as long as the patients and sites are being informed… compliance increases,” Gropp said.

Gropp told BioBuzz that the need for this kind of connected, mobile technology has become more and more apparent over the years. Not only does this improve the overall experience for patients and clinical researchers, but Trialogics’ approach also improves patient participation. The connected, mobile devices remove geographic and economic barriers and allow for a wider pool of patients in clinical studies.  This improves the overall understanding of the safety and effectiveness of a new medication for a broader population.

While many people have their own mobile devices, personal devices may not be optimal for clinical trials.  Gropp said it’s important for the technology to be validated especially if people are using older devices that may have compatibility issues.  This is one of the many reasons Trialogics uses Samsung devices as their standard.

“Samsung has been a great partner for us and I’m really pleased with their responsiveness. They are a company that is committed to the healthcare market. We speak with their team constantly and they’ve been extremely helpful in building out our functionality,” Gropp said.

As with any type of technology, security is of paramount importance to Trialogics. The company uses Samsung Knox, which is the security and management framework pre-installed on most Samsung mobile devices. In addition to security, Samsung Knox allows Trialogics to deploy software updates or remove applications as needed.

In order to maintain security protocols, Gropp explained that users of devices supplied by the company are only permitted to use the programs that are installed by Trialogics. This prevents patients and sites from adding games or other non-authorized programs that could potentially install a virus or malware.

Trialogics’ devices also come with mobile data plans. The company acquires large blocks of data from mobile network providers in the United States and around the world to support the real-time collection of data.

Trialogics currently has thousands of devices in use in multiple clinical trials around the world. By the end of 2023, the company expects to double the number of devices in use in their trials. 

The company currently has thousands of devices in use in multiple clinical trials across the United States and Europe. By the end of 2023, Trialogics expects to ship out even more devices as the company prepares to support multiple, global clinical trials in different disease indications. As the Trialogics and Samsung partnership continues to gain traction, more clinical trial organizations are likely to adapt to the new paradigm and change the landscape of clinical research.