3 Reasons That Make Georgia a Great Location For International Clinical Trials

Georgia is a rapidly developing country with a unique location at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia and a population of 3.71 million. COREX Logistics has been working in Georgia since 2016 — one of our state-of-the-art warehouses is located in the capital Tbilisi. We are pleased to share our insights about Georgia’s untapped potential as a location for international clinical trials.

A country with a pro-business climate and robust healthcare system, Georgia boasts significant advantages for sponsors seeking to carry out both novel and rescue studies. Here’s what makes Georgia a great spot for international clinical trials: 

1. Positive economic and socio-demographic environment

Several economic reforms introduced in recent years have contributed to Georgia’s reputation as an emerging location for international companies conducting clinical trials. A total of 47 clinical trials were conducted in Georgia between January, 2019, and January, 2020. 

Georgia’s clinical professionals are in general positively inclined to participate in clinical trials. The country’s ethnically diverse population is also well-disposed to participating in trials while also being largely treatment-naïve in a wide range of clinical areas. Overall, accessible patient populations and high recruitment rates make Georgia a hidden gem for sponsors seeking rapid patient recruitment.

2. Rapidly evolving healthcare system 

A robust healthcare system is a crucial factor when choosing a suitable country to conduct clinical trials. Over the course of the last 20 years, Georgia has undergone several rounds of a healthcare reform. The country’s healthcare system has been therefore significantly modernized, resulting in increased quality and efficiency of health services, medical equipment, and clinical facilities. 

Georgia also possesses a large skilled and motivated medical staff, full compliance with ICH-GCP standards and a large number of medical institutions with experience in clinical trials. 

3. Ultra fast (less than 2 months) start-up timelines and rapid regulatory process

You can’t go from regulatory submission to study initiation in less than 2 months in most countries. Georgia is a notable exception in that respect:

- The review of study submission by local Ethics Committees takes 2 weeks on the average;

- The subsequent approval of the submission by the regulatory authority (State Regulation Agency for Medical Activities) usually takes no longer than 3 weeks;

- Negotiation and signature process takes around 2 weeks and may be done in parallel with the study approval process;

- The whole journey from submission till first site initiation takes 56 days on the average;

- The import-export licences for study drugs, lab kits and bio-samples are not required in Georgia.

As can be seen from the above, the relatively smooth regulatory process in this country facilitates speedy timelines from submission to start-up of clinical trials. This is just one of the factors making Georgia a very attractive prospect for sponsors and pharma from all around the world.