Rates across all indications for individual therapeutic agents (as opposed to rates for lead indications, which were higher in all phases). Only the success rates used in this analysis were reported. All values are based on three models on clinical trial success by Wong et al. (2019), Thomas et al. (2016), and Hay et al. (2014).
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Clinical trial success rates by therapeutic area 2020
The probability that a cancer drug will make it from phase I to final approval stood at some *** percent, according to a study published in March 2020. The data is based on clinical success rate models from 2014, 2016, and 2019. Once a cancer drug made it into phase III, the chances to make it to final approval increased to **** percent.
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Journal of the American Medical Association. (March 3, 2020). Clinical trial success rates by therapeutic area as of 2020 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 08, 2026, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201162/clinical-trial-success-rates-by-therapeutic-area/
Journal of the American Medical Association. "Clinical trial success rates by therapeutic area as of 2020." Chart. March 3, 2020. Statista. Accessed May 08, 2026. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201162/clinical-trial-success-rates-by-therapeutic-area/
Journal of the American Medical Association. (2020). Clinical trial success rates by therapeutic area as of 2020. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 08, 2026. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201162/clinical-trial-success-rates-by-therapeutic-area/
Journal of the American Medical Association. "Clinical Trial Success Rates by Therapeutic Area as of 2020." Statista, Statista Inc., 3 Mar 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201162/clinical-trial-success-rates-by-therapeutic-area/
Journal of the American Medical Association, Clinical trial success rates by therapeutic area as of 2020 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201162/clinical-trial-success-rates-by-therapeutic-area/ (last visited May 08, 2026)
Clinical trial success rates by therapeutic area as of 2020 [Graph], Journal of the American Medical Association, March 3, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201162/clinical-trial-success-rates-by-therapeutic-area/
