Italian AIFA reports record 669 clinical trials in 2024

The Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) published its 22nd national report on clinical drug trials, covering data from 2024. The report shows 669 trials were authorised in Italy, the highest number in the last three years.

Commercially‑sponsored (profit) trials accounted for 569 studies (85.1% of the total) and continued to grow modestly. Non‑profit trials fell to 100, the lowest count since 2004, representing 14.9% of all trials. Nationally‑led studies shrank to 9.1%, while internationally‑co‑ordinated trials made up 90.9% of the activity, well above the EU average.

Oncology remained the dominant therapeutic area, with 248 oncology and haematology trials—about one‑third of all studies—and showing the strongest year‑on‑year increase. The agency highlighted that the EU Clinical Trial Information System, now the single entry point for European trials, appears to be delivering positive effects for Italy’s research landscape, especially for commercially‑driven projects.