Central Kentucky Research Associates, Inc. is a multispecialty clinical research site with offices in Lexington and Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. The ability to recruit evaluable patients rapidly and produce high-quality study results in a timely manner has earned Central Kentucky Research Associates, Inc. (CKRA) a sterling reputation as one of the nation’s leading, independent clinical drug research facilities. This is affirmed by the fact that the company, which ranks in the top 10 percent of the nation’s clinical trial sites in subject evaluability, has conducted trials (Phases 1 through IV) for every major drug company in the U.S. and many in Europe and Japan.
Central Kentucky Research Associates (CKRA) makes it possible for people to participate in clinical trials that can change the face of medicine. Founded in 1991 by Deborah Dyer, RN, BSN and the late Jacqueline Smith, RN, BSN, CCRC, Central Kentucky Research Associates was Kentucky’s first independent clinical drug research facility. CKRA is also one of the few such facilities in the nation that is owned and operated by women who are not physicians.
CKRA has conducted over 500 Phase I, II, III, and IV clinical trials in the areas of Allergy, Cardiology, Dermatology, Endocrine/Metabolism , Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases, Musculoskeletal, Neurology, Pain Management, Pediatrics, Respiratory, Urology, and Women’s Health. Patients are recruited through the company’s extensive database and through advertising mediums such as television, radio, and print.
CKRA operates as an outpatient facility with access to inpatient care. Our facility offers the following amenities:
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In addition to being able to recruit patients through our Investigators and their extensive private practices, CKRA maintains a research patient database of over 25,000 receptive trial volunteers. This research-only database contains patients who have participated in CKRA trials previously or who have been screened, but did not qualify for participation. Other patients have inquired about trials and have been added to the database. The full-time recruitment staff strives to ensure that prospective patients are thoroughly screened on the phone prior to their office visit to help eliminate screening failures. This staff is also driven to make certain CKRA meets or exceeds contracted enrollment on all trials it conducts.
Advertising, when deemed appropriate, is coordinated through our experienced in-house advertising agency. This relationship allows CKRA to significantly reduce enrollment costs as well as save valuable recruitment time by working directly with media outlets. Advertising campaigns are tailored specifically for each target patient population and include: newspaper, television (local & cable), radio, flyers, health fairs, direct mailings, newsletters, promotional items, posters, and billboards.
Within a day’s drive of 75% of the population of the U.S., Lexington is strategically located at the intersection of Interstates 64 and 75. Located in the heart of Central Kentucky, Lexington and the surrounding area’s population consist of 70% of people who range in age from 18 to 65. This age group is the primary target for the majority of clinical research trials. Specialized demographics include:
CKRA is proud to announce the opening of our brand new Phase I/IIa In-House Facility. The Unit encompasses 5,000 square feet adjacent to our Lexington research office that is dedicated to completing healthy volunteer and special population early phase trials. Each of the 10 private rooms is equipped with a queen bed, private bath, recliner and flat screen cable DVD/TV. Six of the 10 rooms are fully handicap accessible. The entertainment lounge offers cable TV, available WiFi, DVD and book libraries and game tables, ensuring the comfort of CKRA’s volunteers, which increases compliance and reduces drop out rates. CKRA currently maintains a healthy volunteer database of over 1,200 patients as well as having access to various patient populations across a range of therapeutic areas. This new early phase unit enhances CKRA’s commitment to advancing pharmaceutical research. CKRA is not under the jurisdiction of a local Institutional Review Board (IRB) and must use a Central IRB. Some Central IRBs utilized are: SAIRB, WIRB, NEIRB, RCRC, Quorum, Essex , Copernicus, Goodwyn, Lee Coast and Chesapeake .
