Research and Development (R&D) refers to the activities involved in discovering, developing, and improving drugs, biologics, devices, and related technologies.
In clinical development, R&D spans early discovery through clinical trials, regulatory submissions, and lifecycle evidence generation. R&D organizations integrate scientific strategy with operational execution, including study design, manufacturing scale-up, safety monitoring, and data standards. Effective R&D governance ensures programs progress with appropriate risk controls, ethical oversight, and regulatory alignment. Strong R&D execution accelerates innovation while protecting participants and supporting credible evidence generation.