Strategic solutions case studies

In 2023, a leading China-based biotech firm partnered with ICON to launch a global programme for a key asset. Building on a six-year strategic alliance and success in China, the client expanded into the US and Europe, prioritizing efficiency and cost control. ICON deployed a blended model—FSP in China and the US, and full-service support in Europe — to align with regional needs and strategic goals.

In July 2024, a global biopharma client partnered with ICON to expand functional support. Starting with Clinical Operations and TMF roles, the partnership grew to over 60 FTEs and now includes Clinical Quality, Systems Experts, and Late Phase, with further expansion underway.

In February 2023, a global biopharma company added ICON to its vendor ecosystem, initially focusing on Clinical Operations. Within a year, ICON grew to represent 20.5% of total FSP resourcing, outperforming expectations and becoming a key partner. ICON has since expanded into multiple services, offering flexible commercial models and scalable support across the client’s evolving needs.

This case study shows the effectiveness of this agile and forward-thinking approach to workforce scaling under time-
sensitive conditions.

A Top 10 biopharma company aimed to expand trials across CEE, including new markets. ICON delivered a custom model combining full operational ownership with local expertise and embedded governance to ensure consistency in a global, multi-vendor FSP setup.

Outsourcing to an FSP often raises concerns about control, visibility, and quality. When a top-20 pharma company partnered with ICON for medical writing, ICON’s tailored approach ensured a smooth transition without sacrificing oversight or standards—building a strong, lasting partnership.

A multinational pharmaceutical company, of ICON’s functional services provider clients, approached our team to resource CRAs in the US.

We created a more sustainable organisational design for our partner, within their Data Management and Biostatistics functions, resulting in a 56% cost saving.

The implementation of an FSP model across our partner's project management function, led to 20% cost efficiences and a 30% reduction in client burden.

Read more about how we consolidated over 340 site management resources, from 70 vendors, across 30 countries resulting in a 91% reduction in client burden.

In a multi-vendor FSP model for clinical monitoring, the client required the capability to aggregate and analyse data internally across all FSP providers.

Due to unprecedented resourcing needs prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, our large pharma partner required rapid and efficient resource allocation in an FSP model to reduce turnover and promote growth.