Animal health is undergoing a quiet revolution. While often overshadowed by its human counterpart, the field of veterinary clinical research is rapidly evolving—fueled by innovations in technology, changing regulatory dynamics, and a growing emphasis on One Health principles that connect animal, human, and environmental health. As the demand for novel therapeutics, vaccines, biologics, and nutraceuticals for companion and livestock animals rises, so does the need for robust, efficient, and ethically sound clinical research frameworks.
This article explores the key trends, innovations, and future outlook shaping the next generation of animal health clinical trials.
The global animal health market is projected to surpass $70 billion by 2030, driven by rising pet ownership, increasing livestock production, and a shift toward preventive care. As a result, clinical trials in animal health are becoming more sophisticated—evaluating not only safety and efficacy but also quality-of-life outcomes, real-world effectiveness, and product differentiation.
Veterinary trials are now addressing a broader range of therapeutic areas, including:
Oncology for companion animals
Chronic conditions (e.g., osteoarthritis, diabetes)
Antibiotic alternatives in livestock
Emerging zoonotic threats (e.g., avian flu, African swine fever)
These therapeutic advances require tailored study designs, novel endpoints, and innovative data collection strategies that reflect the diverse species, owners, and environments involved.
Veterinary trials have traditionally relied on manual processes and decentralized communication. However, digital transformation is reshaping clinical trial operations in animal health, mirroring the evolution seen in human clinical research.
Key innovations include:
Electronic Data Capture (EDC) systems tailored for multispecies trials
Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS) for real-time oversight of protocol compliance, enrollment, and site management
eTMF (electronic Trial Master File) to manage essential documents and regulatory submissions
AI-powered analytics for signal detection, adverse event classification, and data review
Platforms like Cloudbyz Animal Health eClinical Suite, built natively on Salesforce, are enabling end-to-end automation, audit trails, and cross-study visibility—critical for both sponsors and veterinary CROs.
As pets are increasingly considered part of the family, the design of companion animal clinical trials is shifting toward owner-centric engagement and ethical care standards. This includes:
Decentralized or hybrid trial models, allowing data collection from home or local vet clinics
ePRO and owner-reported outcomes, to capture behavior, appetite, mobility, and pain scales
Informed consent and engagement tools that respect owner autonomy and improve compliance
These patient- (or pet-) centric innovations are driving better retention, more accurate data, and stronger trust between sponsors, veterinarians, and pet owners.
The regulatory environment for animal health trials is also evolving. Agencies such as the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), EMA CVMP, and APVMA are encouraging broader adoption of VICH GCP (Good Clinical Practice for Veterinary Trials) guidelines.
This shift brings a more harmonized, rigorous approach to:
Investigator qualification and training
Protocol standardization and risk management
AE/SAE documentation and pharmacovigilance
Data integrity, traceability, and audit-readiness
Adoption of GCP-Vet-aligned platforms ensures regulatory compliance while enabling real-time collaboration across global trials.
Veterinary medicine is beginning to harness the power of real-world data and AI, unlocking new value across the product lifecycle:
Using practice management systems and EHRs for RWE studies
Predicting trial outcomes with AI models
Automating adverse event signal detection
Optimizing protocol design with historical trial data
As these capabilities mature, sponsors will be able to refine study feasibility, reduce trial costs, and accelerate market authorization for new products.
With rising awareness of ethical considerations and environmental impact, animal health trials are embracing sustainability:
Reducing the number of animals through adaptive trial designs
Ensuring the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) in study planning
Leveraging simulation and digital twins for early-phase hypothesis testing
Minimizing waste and carbon emissions through cloud-based systems
These measures not only uphold animal welfare but also appeal to stakeholders seeking more responsible research practices.
The evolution of animal health clinical trials is being driven by a convergence of science, technology, and society. Innovations in digital platforms, AI, regulatory harmonization, and patient-centric models are enabling a new era of precision, speed, and ethical integrity in veterinary research.
To thrive in this environment, sponsors, CROs, and regulators must embrace platforms and strategies that offer:
Seamless study design and execution
Real-time data visibility and compliance tracking
Scalability across species, regions, and regulations
Integration of safety, efficacy, and owner engagement
Solutions like Cloudbyz Animal Health eClinical Platform are at the forefront of this transformation, offering unified tools to streamline trials, ensure compliance, and bring innovations to animals faster—while advancing global One Health goals.