Roche is committed to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across Scope 1, 2 and 3 by 2045, with interim targets by 2029, says Edward Owen, Therapeutic Area Director of Oncology and Early Clinical Development at Genentech.
A 90% net zero pledge means a reduction of emissions by 90%, Owen explained, while the remaining 10% of emissions are offset by sequestering greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. He noted that many emissions come from suppliers and thus Genentech, a part of the Roche group, is partnering with suppliers that have the same ambitions.
Owen was speaking at a session on clinical trial decarbonisation at the 15th Annual Clinical Trial in Oncology West Coast (CTO) conference, which took place earlier this month. According to him, healthcare, as an industry, is estimated to account for 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. When this is broken down into key categories, supply chains (mostly heat and power, raw materials) account for 50%, patient care settings constitute 40% (mostly buildings and ambulance fleet), and patient and R&D account for 5% each, he explained. Greenhouse gas emissions from clinical trials are captured under R&D, he added.
As per a study by Johnson & Johnson, six activities drive nearly 90% of the average clinical trial’s greenhouse gas footprint. Activities like active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production account for 27%, while investigational medicinal product (IMP) shipping and distribution account for 16% of emissions. The transport of laboratory samples to and from the sites accounts for 7% of greenhouse gas, while their storage and processing account for 4%, he added. Thirdly, patient travel (11%), clinical research associate (CRA) on-site monitoring travel (10%), sponsor commuting and facility utilities (8%) and investigational site utilities and staff (5%) are other contributing factors for emissions in clinical trials, said Owen.
Significant progress has been made in 2024 towards measuring and reducing carbon emissions from clinical trials, an effort led by the Sustainable Markets Initiative Health Systems Task Force (SMI HSTF). The central aim of the SMI HSTF is to accelerate the transition to net zero health systems through joint action at scale, he added. In February 2025, CEOs from companies like AstraZeneca, GSK, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Sanofi and Roche wrote an open letter on clinical trials, which noted that the first step in reducing carbon emissions is to measure their environmental footprint. The group has committed to reporting the emissions from completed Phase II and Phase III clinical trials starting in 2025, and will be identifying digital solutions to decarbonise clinical research and setting emission reduction targets for suppliers.
Roche itself is targeting its net zero goals by measuring the reduction in travel-related emissions associated with the implementation of Risk Based Quality Management (RBQM), and optimising IMP distribution to minimise waste, amongst other steps. Specifically, Owen mentioned that the company aims at improving enrollment forecasting to better manage drug supply and avoid overproduction, a serious problem since across the industry, on average, 60-70% of clinical trial IMP is wasted.
Challenges and tools in implementing emission-reducing strategies.
Implementing decarbonsation practices in clinical trials is challenging as these actions can compete with other company priorities. To streamline efforts, Roche is embedding carbon tracking into existing projects to quantify sustainability benefits. The carbon emissions calculator tool allows a breakdown across various categories, such as drug shipment, travel, and sample handling, allowing teams to target specific emissions hotspots where impactful changes can be made in regards to site visits, sample collections, and unnecessary logistics.
During his presentation at the conference, Owen also addressed the potential strategies of implementing emission-reducing strategies and tracking clinical trial workflows. Emission tracking adds an additional layer of complexity while also managing trial speed, cost and quality. However, there is growing external pressure both from EU regulations and patients and payers who are requesting clear emission goals from sponsors and suppliers, said Owen.
Finally, success is more feasible when sustainability efforts are tied to existing initiatives such as cost-saving or efficiency initiatives, said Owen. But he added that it is still unclear whether lowering carbon emissions correlates with reducing or increasing trial costs. But Roche has been able to link emissions tracking to initiatives that reduce drug waste, effectively showing both cost and carbon savings. He noted that there is need for internal stakeholder alignment and reframing of incentives to include emissions in the decision-making framework and not just as an “afterthought”. He said: “Until we figure out a way to introduce carbon emissions into the decision making framework for clinical development, we will not be able to really achieve these goals.”
"Mapping out opportunities to reduce emissions in clinical trials" was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand.
The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
