More than four decades of ethical review leadership
Advarra is the largest central IRB, pairing scale with deep scientific, regulatory, and therapeutic expertise built over more than 40 years.
A unified IRB model shaped by the heritage of several leading independent IRBs, bringing together proven strengths and best practices
Reviewers with deep fluency in U.S. and Canadian regulations, known for providing clear, well-supported rationales
Extensive experience reviewing complex, multi-site research across all major therapeutic areas
A people-centered approach grounded in collaboration, accountability, and transparent communication
Dedicated support, every step of the way
Each organization works with one dedicated coordinator who understands its workflows and goals, creating a single, reliable point of contact from startup through closeout. This partnership-driven model enables clear communication and smooth, efficient review. Returning customers account for 87% of submissions.
Deep expertise across therapeutic areas
Advarra’s IRB is equipped to review studies in any therapeutic area or phase, including early phase research. Our work spans oncology, pediatrics, neurodegenerative and CNS disease, infectious disease, metabolic diseases, rare disease, and more.
We also support advanced therapeutic modalities that cut across multiple disease areas, including cell and gene therapy.
Advarra is the preferred provider for IRB and IBC services for leading oncology research institutions, including SCRI and START, supporting early-phase and late-phase trials.
We have deep oncology expertise with two times more oncology protocols reviewed than any other independent IRB.
2x more oncology protocols reviewed than any other independent IRB
The technology platform powering IRB excellence
- CIRBI® is Advarra’s secure, proprietary platform that supports our gold-standard IRB process.
- A single source of truth for submissions, required actions, study status, and board decisions.
- Direct integration with the site’s eReg, sponsor’s eTMF, and Advarra’s Study Collaboration to reduce administrative burden, shorten study startup, and strengthen documentation quality.
- Intuitive dashboards, adaptive forms, and pre-populated data that accelerate startup and simplify ongoing submissions.
Speed that never outruns quality or integrity
Our review model delivers fast, reliable decisions without ever compromising rigor or ethical standards.
More than 36,000 new U.S. site submissions and 1,600+ Canadian submissions reviewed each year
First decisions on protocol submissions average five days after all required materials are received
A disciplined process that ensures predictable, high-quality reviews for even the most complex studies
Built for the future of centralized review
With forthcoming federal requirements mandating single IRB review for FDA-regulated trials, centralized oversight is becoming essential. Advarra is uniquely positioned to support this shift with an IRB framework already built to manage complex, multi-site studies at scale:
- A proven IRB framework built for multi-site research
- Institutional experience and processes organizations can rely on from day one
- Study-wide transparency and standardized, streamlined workflows through CIRBI
- Alignment with the ethical and regulatory expectations of sponsors, sites, and regulators
Moving research forward
Advarra’s mission is to ensure that clinical research is conducted with uncompromising ethical principles, regulatory rigor, and the highest standards of participant protection. That mission guides how we partner with sponsors, CROs, and sites and shapes every aspect of our approach to IRB review.
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Frequently asked questions
Explore our comprehensive FAQ page for detailed answers to questions about our IRB.