Source: Aotearoa Clinical Trials and Medical Research Institute of New Zealand
MRINZ and ACTT Launch CRANZ to Strengthen Clinical Research in New Zealand
The Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ) and the Aotearoa Clinical TrialsTrust (ACTT) are pleased to announce the establishment of the Clinical Research Alliance New Zealand (CRANZ), a new national partnership to strengthen and expand high-quality clinical trial research across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Both organisations are dedicated to improving health outcomes through rigorous, evidence based clinical research. CRANZ brings together MRINZ’s internationally recognised research expertise with ACTT’s nationwide, public hospital-embedded clinical trial delivery network to create a coordinated platform for medical research.
The Alliance will:
- Increase the number and support of high-quality investigator-initiated trials (IITs) and collaborative group trials (CGTs)
- Work with overseas funders and research institutes to enable more medical research to be performed in New Zealand
- Enable New Zealand clinicians to design and lead trials that improve patient care and inform clinical practice
- Strengthen collaboration across hospitals, universities, and research institutions
- Build sustainable, nationally coordinated clinical trial capability
Investigator-led trials are essential for addressing locally relevant health challenges and generating evidence grounded in real-world patient care. CRANZ will provide the systems, governance expertise, and delivery infrastructure required to support efficient, high quality trial execution across New Zealand.
CRANZ will initially focus on Respiratory, Vaccines, Dermatology, and Infectious Diseases – areas of significant public health priority and established research strength.
Professor Richard Beasley, Director of MRINZ, said: “Clinical trials allow us to answer the questions most relevant to patient care in New Zealand. CRANZ strengthens our ability to support clinicians to access and lead high-quality trials, generating evidence that improves clinical practice.”
Dr. Edward Watson, Chief Executive of ACTT, said: “CRANZ connects research leadership with nationwide hospital-based delivery, creating a more capable and coordinated environment for all clinical research. This Alliance will expand access to high-quality trials for patients and strengthen New Zealand’s clinical research capability.”
Further details on CRANZ programmes and collaborative initiatives will be announced in the coming months.
