HiRO is pleased to announce our participation in COG’s Small & Mid Biopharma Summit, taking place November 18-19, 2026, in San Francisco.
The event brings together biotech innovators, investors, and service providers to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing emerging biopharma companies. The HiRO team looks forward to connecting with attendees and sharing approaches to flexible, strategic clinical development partnerships.
HiRO specializes in helping emerging biotech companies navigate complex development challenges through flexible development strategies, tailored clinical execution, and collaborative partnerships.
Whether you’re planning your next clinical milestone, preparing for a pivotal study, or looking for a clinical research partner that can adapt to your funding and development strategy, we invite you to stop by Booth #22 to meet the HiRO team and learn how we help small and mid-sized biopharma companies navigate complex clinical development programs.
Featured Presentation: Beyond Fee-for-Service: Staged Risk Sharing Between CRO and Small Biotech
November 18, 2026 | 9:15 AM
As part of the conference agenda, Crista Casey will present a session exploring alternative CRO partnership models designed to support the unique funding and operational realities of emerging biotech companies.
Session Overview
Early-stage biotechs often face fixed funding constraints, investor scrutiny, and market volatility, while traditional CRO agreements are typically structured around full funding and substantial upfront deposits. In this session, Crista will share a real-world case study of a Phase II, two-part adaptive oncology trial delivered within a €3.5 million total budget for a publicly traded sponsor.
Attendees will learn how study design and operational strategy were aligned to support funding realities through:
- A staged trial approach with Part 1 serving as a funding gate for Part 2
- Separate budgeting structures for each phase of the study
- Twelve-month rolling deposits instead of large upfront payments
- Unit-based billing tied to completed work
- Tiered pricing models that align CRO and sponsor success
Attendees will gain practical insights into structuring CRO partnerships that align with funding milestones, reduce upfront financial burden, and support efficient trial execution without compromising quality.
Meet HiRO at Booth #22
Our team will be available throughout the conference to discuss:
- Flexible clinical development strategies
- Early- and late-phase trial execution
- Risk-sharing partnership models
- Global clinical operations and project management
- Oncology and specialty clinical research programs
Whether you’re planning an early-phase study, preparing for your next funding milestone, or evaluating CRO partners, we invite you to meet with our team at Booth #22 to discuss your development goals.
Attending the summit? Stop by Booth #22 or join Crista’s presentation on November 18 at 9:15 AM. We look forward to seeing you in San Francisco.
