Executing MRD in Oncology Trials: From Protocol Design to Commercial Impact

As MRD (minimal residual disease) becomes a decision-driving component of oncology development, the challenge is how to execute it reliably at scale. Translating MRD from strategy into practice requires more than assay selection. Sponsors must align protocol design, site capabilities, sample workflows, data integrity and cross-functional governance to ensure MRD data can support real clinical and regulatory decisions. In 2026, execution quality is increasingly the differentiator between MRD data that is merely informative and that which is actionable.

This webinar focuses on the operational realities of MRD-based trials and where execution most often breaks down. The session will explore protocol design decisions that directly impact feasibility, site burden, patient retention and data completeness. Topics will include selecting sites with appropriate patient flow and biomarker experience, aligning central and local laboratory processes, minimizing pre-analytical variability in specimen handling and ensuring MRD sampling windows are realistic within routine clinical workflows. The featured speakers will also discuss how clinical operations, medical and scientific leadership can work together to build investigator confidence and drive consistent adoption of complex biomarker-driven protocols.

Beyond execution, the webinar will examine how early operational decisions influence downstream outcomes. Sponsors must consider how MRD evidence will ultimately support regulatory positioning, payer value narratives, competitive differentiation and commercialization strategy. Embedding this perspective earlier in development helps ensure MRD data are not only collected but also structured to inform label relevance, patient segmentation and value communication.

Attendees will hear how Syneos Health integrates clinical operations, medical strategy and commercialization insight to help sponsors execute MRD-enabled trials with precision. The session will provide practical guidance for global and regional studies across hematologic malignancies and solid tumors, with a focus on what must happen at the site level, across vendors and within internal teams to maintain quality. The goal is to help sponsors move from decision-making to disciplined execution and from biomarker complexity to development advantage.

Register for this webinar to learn how stronger operational design, site execution and cross-functional planning can improve data quality and downstream value in oncology trials.

Speakers

(Moderator) Wael Harb, MD, MBA, Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy, Early Phase Oncology, Syneos Health

Dr. Wael Harb brings 23 years of medical oncology and hematology practice and 15 years of drug development experience to his role at Syneos Health. Previously, he established Horizon Oncology Center (HOC) in Lafayette, Indiana, which later became the launching pad for Verdi Oncology, a national oncology management company. He also founded Horizon Oncology Research (HOR), a premier site for early phase oncology trials in North America, where he supervised more than 100 trials with over 1,000 patients enrolled. Based in California, Dr. Harb is recognized for his leadership in advancing personalized cancer care.

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Patrick Melvin, Vice President, Therapeutic Strategy & Innovation, Syneos Health

Patrick Melvin is a highly experienced clinical research executive with over 20 years of leadership in hematology and oncology drug development. His experience spans programs from first-in-human (FIH) studies through hybrid Phase I/II registration programs and large Phase III trials, including work in immuno-oncology and advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs). He has overseen more than 25 pivotal or registration programs, over a dozen of which have resulted in US and global marketing authorizations, including a first-in-class adoptive cell therapy.

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Jacquelyn Ritchie, MPH, Therapeutic Area Head of Hematology/Oncology, Syneos Health

Jacquelyn Ritchie has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and clinical research industry and has held leadership roles at organizations including Exelixis, IQVIA, NanoString Technologies, GSK, University of Pennsylvania, Merck and AstraZeneca. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated expertise in clinical operations, strategic planning, leadership and alliance building.

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Vik Chawla, MBA, Managing Director, Commercial Advisory Group, Syneos Health

Vik Chawla is a Strategic Advisor at Syneos Health with over 14 years of experience supporting biopharmaceutical companies across portfolio strategy, commercial due diligence, forecasting and product launch planning. He has worked across oncology, rare diseases and cell and gene therapies, partnering with both large pharma and emerging biotech to assess market opportunities, inform investment decisions and shape commercialization strategies. Prior to joining Syneos Health, Vik held roles at PwC Strategy&, L.E.K. Consulting, IQVIA and Pfizer, where he supported oncology commercial strategy initiatives.

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Muaiad Kittaneh, MD, MBA, FACP, Global Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy, Syneos Health

Muaiad Kittaneh is a board-certified Hematologist, Medical Oncologist and Internist with extensive global experience in clinical development, scientific strategy and cross-functional leadership. He has led complex oncology programs across the full drug development lifecycle, from early-phase experimental therapeutics to late-phase global registration and post-marketing strategy. His expertise includes clinical trial design, regulatory alignment and the integration of biomarkers, precision medicine and innovative therapeutic modalities such as cell therapy, gene therapy and radiopharmaceuticals.

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