- Before
- Runs feasibility for three studies from questionnaires, a CTMS export and a spreadsheet — “I don't need a score. I need the reason, and where it came from.”
- Now
- Opens every country and site with its cited reason, decides on the evidence, and signs a list that files its own rationale to the TMF.
One study, from questionnaires back to a signed site list
VLT-401 — veltrimab in moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease, Phase 3, 480 participants, target last patient in June 2028. Questionnaires went out on Sep 12 and closed on Oct 2. Here is what happens next, screen by screen, in the working solution.
- 01Morning
The plan opens as a world map
Lena Ortiz · Feasibility leadFourteen countries sit on the map, sized by patients allocated — the US with 140 and Poland with 78 as lead countries, Europe in its own close-up, Brazil and France held as back-up. Under the map, the forecast: most likely last patient in May 2028, 7 weeks before the June 2028 target, with a range from February to September 2028 across 64 primary sites.
“Each site enrolls at its own past rate and opens when its approval path allows; 15 of 64 primary sites open by the Feb 2027 first-patient target.”
- 02One click
Why Brazil is only a back-up
Lena Ortiz · Feasibility leadBrazil ranks 13th of 14 with a score of 60. Its evidence opens beside the forecast, five factors each with a value and a source: past enrollment 1.70 a site a month from site history on 4 of 4 sites, 11,500 eligible a year from real-world counts, 1 same-population trial of 6 recruiting, a 27-week start-up with 150 days of approval, and 4 questionnaires with claims consistent.
“Three strong sites (2.0–2.6 participants a month in NXL-118) and a large pool, held back only by approval: about 150 days for ANVISA and national ethics, so its sites open in April 2027, after first patient in.”
- 03The tier switch
She moves Brazil to core, and the forecast follows
Lena Ortiz · Feasibility leadLena switches Brazil from back-up to core. Its three ready sites open as primary and take 36 participants from the US, Canada and Italy. The forecast is recalculated from each site's own history: most likely last patient in March 2028 instead of May, optimistic January, cautious July, on 67 primary sites.
“Back-up → Core · 3 back-up sites open as primary and take 36 participants (20 from United States, 10 from Canada, 6 from Italy).”
- 04Sent for approval
The country's whole case, for the study lead
Elena Duarte · Country manager, Spain, Italy, BrazilThe change goes to Sam Patel, the study lead, with the forecast and the evidence. Brazil's page shows the rest: the patient funnel from 98,900 living with Crohn's to 11,500 who meet the endoscopic score, one same-population competitor (OAK-21) among 6 Crohn's studies recruiting — the others are in different populations and are not counted against sites, and the approval path — ANVISA review about 90 days, national ethics about 60, import licence about 4 weeks.
“Proposed as core on the map: three sites open in April 2027 and carry 36 participants. Sent to Sam Patel for approval.”
- 05The ranking board
Ninety sites, ranked on what they did, not what they say
Ranker & rationale writerEvery site that returned a usable questionnaire is scored on six weighted factors: past enrollment 30%, patient pool 20%, start-up speed 15%, competition 15%, questionnaire quality 10%, representation 10%. Each row shows the site's rate a month, start-up weeks, competing trials within 25 km and its claim against history — 23 sites claim more than 3× what they screened. Move a weight and the ranking and the live forecast follow.
“Move a weight — agents re-propose inside each country's allocation; decisions made by people stay.”
- 0607:52
A country manager pushes for a site
Tom Becker · Country manager, Germany, UK, FranceTom asks to make Universitätsklinikum Rheinhafen in Duisburg a primary site. The cited rationale says why it ranks #85 of 90: in VLT-208 it enrolled 3 participants against a plan of 10 in 12 months, start-up took 29 weeks, and its questionnaire claims about 80 eligible a year where it screened 14 — 5.7× its history, so it is counted at 28. Four Crohn's trials in the same patient group recruit within 25 km, one at the hospital itself.
“Please make Rheinhafen a primary site. Prof. Albers leads the national IBD society and other sites follow his lead.”
- 07Her decision
Back-up, with a reason Tom can read
Lena Ortiz · Feasibility leadThe agents propose; Lena decides. She keeps Rheinhafen as back-up for Germany — it opens if a primary German site falls behind after month 6 — and the reason goes to the country manager and is filed with the list. Tom reads it and signs Germany, the UK and France.
“Keep as back-up: 3 of 10 enrolled in VLT-208, 29-week start-up and four competing trials nearby. Opens if a German primary site falls behind after month 6.”
- 08Ready to sign
She signs the list with the meaning of her signature
Lena Ortiz · Feasibility leadThe site list shows each approval: the agents' proposal, five of five country managers, the study lead's allocation. Lena signs VLT-401 site list v3 with her password and chooses the meaning — “I approve this site list and the rationale for each site” or “I have reviewed this site list”.
- 09Signed and filed
Every rationale goes to the trial master file
Lena Ortiz · Feasibility leadThe site list, the country allocation, the P10–P90 forecast and the approval record are filed to the trial master file under site selection, with a cited rationale for each of the 76 primary and back-up sites. The people's own changes stay on the record — Omar Haddad's and Priya Raman's moves to back-up, each with its reason.
“Signed · 76 site rationales filed to the trial master file.”
- 10When the protocol changes
Amendment 1, re-run before anything moves
The six agentsAmendment 1 lowers the endoscopic entry score to SES-CD ≥ 4 (≥ 3 isolated ileal) and allows up to four prior advanced therapies. The agents re-read the criteria, recount the pool — up 14% overall — and re-score all 90 sites in 3 min 12 s. Three proposals change, each shown with its reason, and nothing reaches the plan until Lena applies or discards it.
Protocol reader: “2 criteria changed · thresholds copied with section citations.”