The State of the Industry Report: ACRO Member Impact on Drug Development
In early 2026, ACRO conducted an online survey of its member companies evaluating their activities throughout 2025. The survey was held among 15 ACRO member companies to better understand the activities and demographic makeup of ACRO member organizations and to demonstrate the impact of our industry on drug development.
The results from our State of the Industry Report offer a transparent look at the scale, reach, and technological evolution of the organizations driving modern drug development. The report provides a clearer perspective on the clinical research industry by shedding light on current trends in clinical trials, usage and implementation of AI, the demographic makeup of ACRO member organizations, and our impact on drug development.
For the full breakdown of the data, visit the report page.
Primary Takeaways
In 2025,
- ACRO member companies generated $89.4 Billion in revenue, supporting the work of an estimated 592 sponsor companies.
- ACRO members conducted or participated in 7,634 studies involving 1.4 million patients and volunteers. The largest number of members’ active trials took place in the United States (39%).
- ACRO member companies employed more than 472,000 individuals worldwide and more than 125,000 people in the United States.
- The largest proportion of trials focused on the following areas: Oncology (27%; 2,092), CNS/Neurology (9%; 704), Hematology (6%; 422),Infectious Diseases (5%; 391), and Metabolic/Endocrine (5%; 355).
- ACRO members contributed to the development or commercialization of key vaccine markets:
- 86% of ACRO CROs contributed to COVID-19 and seasonal influenza;
- 71% contributed to hepatitis B; and
- 64% contributed to mRNA vaccines
- 86% of ACRO CROs contributed to COVID-19 and seasonal influenza;