Clinical trials technology provider VirTrial has formed an alliance to enable virtual clinical trials at Pratia clinical research centres in Europe.

All Pratia sites have undergone VirTrial’s Virtual Trial Capable training, becoming the first Virtual Trial Capable site network in Europe.

The training programme comprises four modules that must be completed by clinical research professionals for competency in general telemedicine etiquette and guidelines, and use of the VirTrial platform.

VirTrial added that participants who complete the training will be prepared to perform hybrid decentralised clinical trials (DCT).

Pratia managing director Małgorzata Gerjatowicz-Osmańska said: “Embracing telehealth technologies that enable a larger patient population to participate supports our goal and we’re proud to be the first network in Europe to offer this benefit to sponsors.

“Our network is expanding across Europe and we plan to maintain our 100% Virtual Trial Capable status with VirTrial to best serve our patients and pharma sponsors.”

VirTrial offers a telehealth platform, which provides a virtual care management (VCM) programme combining video, text, and email to allow organisations to create patient-centric trials via the replacement of certain study visits with virtual visits.

The VCM programme can be used to review and assess patient compliance and is ideal for Phase III/Phase IV trials where compliance can be evaluated from any location.

VirTrial business development vice-president Amanda Rangel said: “The innovative VirTrial telehealth platform was developed by clinical research professionals and we are committed to continued collaboration with sites and supporting site sustainability in the new era of hybrid decentralised trials.”

VirTrial recently received a hybrid decentralised clinical trial (DCT) with Hope Biosciences. The trial protocol includes remote visits through VirTrial’s telehealth platform.