Program FAQs

Yes! Register here to attend our informational session for prospective applicants on Thursday, December 8,^, 2022 at 11am CST. Join us to learn about the resources we provide to participating companies, our partnering trial sites, the goals of the BioAR Trial program plus a live Q&A session. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Simply hit the “Apply Now” button on this website! This will take you to Award Force, which is our third-party platform used for receiving and reviewing applications.

In the online application you’ll complete on Award Force, you’ll be asked to provide responses to several questions, with a character limitation for each answer. Additionally, you’ll be able to submit any additional documents you’d like for us to see, including research papers, business plans, pitch decks, protocols, videos, etc. Once your application has been submitted, the HealthTech Arkansas and SymBiosis teams will review your application, with a goal of selecting 10-15 “finalist” applications to be presented to our participating sites in Arkansas. A selection committee comprised of participants from our trial sites will interview all finalist companies before choosing five companies to be invited to participate in the program each year. Those five companies will receive the benefits listed above.

We’re looking primarily for late pre-clinical companies (those moving into their Phase I clinical trials within 12 months), as well as early clinical companies seeking to initiate a Phase II or Phase III trial within 12 months of entering the program.

Absolutely! We anticipate international companies will target our program to reach U.S. patients, access the U.S. market, and collect data that will be instrumental in achieving U.S. FDA approval.

Applicants developing advanced biotherapeutics in any disease area are welcome to apply, though we have a particular emphasis on oncology, immunology, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.

Yes, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (“UAMS”) is a committed participant of the program through the Winthrop Rockefeller Cancer Institute and through other areas of clinical research focus. Additionally, the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute is affiliated with UAMS and can host trials with pediatric patients.

No! There’s absolutely no requirement for your company to be in Arkansas for a certain period of time during the program, or for your company to establish operations here. During the course of your trials, your representatives will be onsite as needed, just as if you’re conducting a clinical trial anywhere else in the world.

For companies that are accepted into the program, the program will take $50,000 of in-kind equity in your company, for the services and benefits provided.

Baptist Health of Arkansas is the largest not-for-profit health care organization in the state and takes pride in its rich history of delivering compassionate care for patients in Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. The organization has 11 hospitals, multiple urgent care centers, rehabilitation centers, a senior living community, and over 100 primary and specialty care clinics. The Baptist Health Institute for Research and Innovation is a leading medical research division of the Baptist Health system. They are located in Little Rock, Arkansas and they perform Phase I-IV clinical research in a variety of therapeutic areas with an emphasis on patient safety.

Site Quick Facts:

Data for Little Rock, home to Baptist Health’s largest site

Demographics:

• 74% Female (50.92% Arkansas)
• 5% White, 28.41% Black (77.31% White, 15.45% Black Arkansas)
• 45% uninsured (10.64% Arkansas)
• 48% urban, 19.52% rural population

Health Outcomes:

• 51% of the population report at least one disability
• 36% diabetes prevalence (9.28% United States)
• 3% heart disease prevalence (4.4% United States)
• 89% high blood pressure prevalence (28.16% United States)

Baptist Health is a premier destination for clinical research, offering the following:

• Baptist Health is a medical center with many advantages, including its central location, remote monitoring capabilities, and vast patient recruitment network
• Research and patient recruitment accomplishments include:
  • A top 5 highest enrolling site for the MOMENTUM study in the United States
  • A top 3 highest enrolling site for the MOMENTUM Continued Access Protocol
  • A top 5 highest enrolling sites internationally for the Protect Registry
  • A top 5 highest enrolling site for the ARIES study in the United States
  • A top 4 implant center for the clinical trial for development of the HeartMate III in the United States
• Site uses their unique partnership with UAMS to support oncology trials, including IRB submission, based at the UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Center in North Little Rock
• Cardiometabolic and immunology trials are managed through the Baptist Health Institute for Research and Innovation, which hosts a team of highly trained research support staff with a range of 1-15 years of research experience and multiple Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) certifications
• Offers a high level of remote monitoring capabilities through their proprietary virtual app and multiple touchpoints for care across the state
• Distinctions include:
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Distinction Center for adult heart transplants
  • Bariatric Center of Excellence and a Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Institute of Quality

The hospital possesses a dedicated research pharmacy with equipment such as:

• In-house cell therapy labs and a dedicated research pharmacy

A spotlight at some of the health system’s hospital-based amenities:

• Baptist Health, Little Rock: 843 patient beds, largest not-for-profit private facility in the state, GoClear Award recipient for surgical safety
• Baptist Health, North Little Rock: 225 patient beds, Level III trauma center, emergency care for adult and pediatric patients 24/7, two medical offices located on-site
• Baptist Health, Conway: 111 beds and eight operating rooms
• Baptist Health, Van Buren: Joint Commission accredited 103-bed acute care hospital
• …and over 20 more clinical sites (more information available on request)

This health system has the following clinical equipment:

• Adult ECMO
• Electrophysiology study (EPS)
• Invenia ABUS 2.0 (Automated Breast Ultrasound System) technology
• Cardiac computed tomography (CT) for Calcium Scoring

Technology:

• External electronic IRB system, WCG IRB
• Electronic systems for financial and legal management
• EMR-Epic
• BEACON-oncology module within Epic that houses all research treatment plans
• AR-CRIS-electronic clinical trials management system

Research Staff:

• Amy Ford Bland, Director of Research for the Baptist Health Institute for Research and Innovation. Director Bland began her career in clinical research in 2007 and has worked with Baptist Health since 2017, beginning as a Clinical Trials Manager. As Director of Research, she currently manages all cardiometabolic and immunotherapy trials for Baptist Health. She is an International Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (IJCAHPO)-certified Ophthalmic Assistant and an ACRP-certified Clinical Research Coordinator. She also holds a B.S. in Biology from Arkansas Tech University. “My favorite thing about research is giving opportunities to patients that they would not have otherwise.”
• Victoria McIntosh Marren, Research Regulatory Specialist. Ms. Marren is a certified Clinical Research Coordinator with ACRP and a certified Clinical Research Professional with SOCRA. She began her career in clinical research in 2015 and has worked her way up to Regulatory Specialist. Ms. Marren has been with Baptist since summer of 2021. Ms. Marren’s experience includes project management, clinical research GCP, statistical analysis, and behavioral contracting. In addition to her professional experience, Ms. Marren is skilled in academic presentation and community service. “My favorite thing about research is giving opportunities to patients that they would not have otherwise.”
• Richard Bailey, Research Coordinator. Bailey is a Licensed Practical Nurse who began working with Baptist in September of 2017. In 2018, he became a Licensed Practical Nurse and joined the BH Institute for Research and Innovation as a Research Coordinator in June of 2021. “My favorite thing about research is being a part of the novel approaches to helping patients.”
• Elizabeth Reesor, Data Manager. Reesor is a nurse who has worked in the field for over 30 years. She started her career as a bedside nurse and then transitioned into quality nursing. Beth has been with Baptist since 2015. Some of her responsibilities include abstracting data into UNOS, entering data into Intermacs and PREVENT, and maintaining Excel tables for kidney data. Beth is also responsible for presenting information from the ADN website to staff quarterly. In addition to her nursing duties, Beth is also responsible for process improvement for the heart transplant and VAD programs. “My favorite thing about working in research is learning about new things.”