Vall d'Hebron consolidates its leadership in clinical research with more than 1,800 active clinical trials

Clinical trials are a key tool for advancing in the development of new treatments and making more accurate diagnoses. The Vall d'Hebron Campus, which includes the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) and the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), consolidates once again its position as an international reference centre in this field.

During 2024, Vall d'Hebron participated in 2,096 clinical studies, of which 1,816 were active clinical trials and 387 were new. This volume of activity reflects the research capacity of the Campus centres and the commitment of the professionals to provide patients with the latest advances in treatment and diagnosis.

In total, 2,317 patients have decided to collaborate and take part in clinical trials at the Campus during this period. This participation of patients and volunteers is essential to advance research and make available to the public innovative treatments that can change the quality of life of many people.

Vall d'Hebron is one of the most active centres in clinical research and, as an outstanding example, 1 out of every 5 new drugs that are marketed have been tested at our Campus, an example of the direct impact of clinical research that allows patients access to new treatments and contributes to global scientific progress.

VHIR's clinical research in the paediatric and adult fields

During 2024, VHIR took part in 681 active clinical trials, with 169 new studies initiated and 638 patients participating. More than 40% of these trials are in early stages, a fact that underlines the centre's commitment to pioneering research.

VHIR promotes clinical trials adapted to all stages of life. One of the great strengths of the VHIR is its commitment to particularly sensitive areas with research needs, such as minority diseases, with 208 clinical trials dedicated to these rare pathologies, and paediatric research, with 192 ongoing trials aimed at children and adolescents. It is also worth highlighting the impulse in advanced therapies, with 31 active clinical trials.

In the adult field, during 2024, significant results were published, such as the efficacy of probiotics and prebiotics in the management of irritability associated with ADHD and borderline personality disorder, as well as a new treatment for resistant hypertension, and the benefits of personalised physical exercise in geriatric cancer patients as part of the PROFIT project.

In the paediatric field, studies on the treatment with ruxolitinib for the acute host-onset malignancy and gynecological therapy for Fanconi anaemia stand out. Recently, the BRIDGE project has been launched, which promotes a more digital, inclusive and collaborative model to facilitate access to clinical trials for children and promote therapeutic innovation at this stage of life.

Clinical trials with innovative therapies at VHIO

When standard cancer treatments do not work, clinical trials allow many patients to access innovative therapies in the experimental phase. In this sense, by the end of 2024 the VHIO had 854 active clinical trials in oncology, haematology and radiation oncology. During the year, 1309 patients were incorporated into the trials and a total of 4,004 patients were treated.

More than half of VHIO's clinical trials are in phases 1 and 2 and are carried out at the UITM-CaixaResearch Unit for Research in Molecular Cancer Therapy, consolidating the unit as a European benchmark in early stage clinical trials and placing it in a strategic position to accelerate the arrival of new therapies to patients, especially in areas where current options are limited or non-existent.

With the contribution of the research carried out at the VHIO, more than 70 new treatments and indications have been approved for different types of cancer, which have improved the survival and quality of life of cancer patients when they had no other treatment options left.