Centricity Research Opens New Facility, Expands Clinical Trials

By Janell Williams

Centricity Research celebrated the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art facility in Columbus on Feb. 12, marking a significant expansion of its clinical research capabilities in the region. The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together local officials, healthcare professionals and community leaders to commemorate the milestone.

The new facility will enhance clinical trial opportunities, providing cutting-edge research in areas such as oncology, pediatrics, drug development and many more. Centricity Research officials emphasized the importance of expanding access to innovative treatments for local patients while positioning Columbus as a hub for medical advancements.

"The goal here is to decrease the amount of time that it takes to get a drug from being an idea to being on the market because it's expensive, and it takes a long time," said Chief Medical Officer Joseph Surber. "So by decreasing, all of that, we can make drugs cheaper on the back end for patients because right now drugs are ridiculously expensive, so we can help facilitate a decrease in all of that."

The opening of the new research center is expected to create new job opportunities and strengthen Columbus' position as a leader in medical research.

"By bringing in the ability to do phase one and larger capacity for our research studies, we can bring in more people to help run the clinical trials. So certainly there are more jobs available in the region and more access for patients who need specialty help," Surber said.

With the expansion, Centricity Research plans to collaborate with local hospitals, universities and healthcare providers to further its mission. The facility will house labs for developing new medications, eye treatments and overnight clinical trials to advance research in numerous different areas.

"By having the second floor up here, we're able to do phase one clinical research experimenting on new drugs when they first come out, past the animal testing. So it's the first time they'll be experimenting on humans and we can host overnights," said Nurse Practitioner April Pixler.

As the ribbon was cut and the doors officially opened, attendees expressed optimism about the potential breakthroughs that could emerge from the new facility.

For more information about Centricity Research and its clinical trials, visit their website.