Clinical trial tech startup secures major investment to fuel growth

Durham-based TruTechnologies has secured a strategic growth investment from LLR Partners to accelerate the expansion of its real-time clinical trial oversight solutions and fuel the next phase of innovation.

TruTechnologies was founded in 2018 to solve the longstanding problem of tracking biological samples in clinical trials and has since expanded into products that provide real-time insight for trial participant screening visits and associated outcomes. The company plans to use the investment to expand its reach to more drug companies running clinical trials and to develop new products and capabilities. 

“We’ve been doubling in growth over the past four years, and this investment will accelerate that trajectory,” said David Chung, chief operating officer of TruTechnologies. “LLR Partners stood out as the right fit because of their true partnership approach, which we’ve already experienced firsthand.”

Modernizing sample tracking

Tracking biological samples collected at multiple hospitals has been a key pain point for clinical research for some time. Traditionally, handwritten paper forms are placed with samples when they go to a central lab for processing. The information on these forms is manually entered into a computer only after arriving at the lab — often days after collection — resulting in a lack of visibility and potential errors. 

The idea of launching a company to solve this problem arose when Scott Ogle, CEO of TruTechnologies, was exploring new ventures after leaving Sageworks, a Raleigh-based financial technology company. Longtime friend Richard Graham told Ogle that the inability to track samples reliably had nearly cost him a phase III trial and has plagued the industry for decades. Ogle realized the problem could be solved with technology, so the two founded TruTechnologies. Chung joined the company a short time later. 

After studying the problem extensively, the team developed a mobile app that allows clinical staff to scan sample barcodes at the point of collection. The app, called TruLab, provides real-time tracking, full chain-of-custody visibility and ensures proper handling as samples move from hospitals to central labs.

“Most clinical trial technology relies on web portals and manual data entry, which don’t match the realities of research coordinators, who are typically moving between patients, labs and exam rooms,” said Chung. “Our approach uses mobile tools to fit that workflow, making it easier to collect data without the need to sit in front of a computer.”

Eliminating paper from clinical trials

As the company worked to digitize sample tracking, it realized that its technology could also detect, in real time, when a research coordinator missed a sample, skipped an assessment, or didn’t follow the protocol exactly — issues that paper-based systems often miss until it’s too late.

“The greatest minds in the world are working on curing some of the hardest diseases in the world, and yet many aspects of clinical trials still rely mostly on paper,” said Chung. “That paper leads to a lot of errors, problems and inefficiencies, so ultimately, we’re aiming to eliminate the use of paper forms in clinical trials.”

Earlier this year, the company rebranded from TruLab to TruTechnologies to better reflect its growing capabilities that go beyond sample tracking. It also built on the original app with the development of TruDose, which provides dosing compliance and deviation monitoring, and TruScreen, which enables real-time visibility to trial participant screening visits and associated outcomes.

Building leaders from the ground up

One key to TruTechnologies’ growth has been access to the strong local talent pool in the RTP area. The company prioritizes hiring recent college graduates from top nearby universities and developing them into leaders, a model carried over from Ogle’s previous success at Sageworks. Chung says that they look for smart, driven individuals they can coach and mentor, rather than focusing on experience. 

“Another important benefit of the RTP area is the strong presence of contract research organizations and biotechs here,” said Chung. “Being in this environment of research and development has been hugely beneficial in helping us network and meet the right folks.”

Looking ahead, TruTechnologies plans to continue combining innovative tools with top-tier talent to lead the industry toward a more efficient, paperless future in clinical research.