UK-based contract research organisation (CRO) Chiltern continues to spread its net on a global scale, this time opening a new office in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.

The office will support Chiltern’s ongoing clinical studies in Portugal, the CRO said. In addition, Chiltern’s Resourcing Solutions brand will give local trial sponsors the opportunity to bring on board well-trained personnel, based either at clinical sites or the sponsors’ own offices, on short- or long-term contracts, it noted.

The Lisbon office will be headed up by Ricardo Diaz as Chiltern’s country manager for Portugal. “The conditions were right for us to open this new office,” he commented. “In the past two years, we have seen rising interest in the region and increased demand for full clinical operations support in Portugal.”

Lewis Cameron, Chiltern’s executive vice president Europe, said rapid patient enrolment and the small number of competitive trials “add to the overall benefit of running clinical studies in Portugal”.

Extending its global reach both organically and through acquisition has been one strand of Chiltern’s business strategy since its acquisition by private investment group Czura Thornton in July 2006. The CRO recently stepped up its presence in Russia and the wider Central and Eastern European (CEE) market by opening an office in St. Petersburg.

Chiltern’s international network includes 20 offices in Europe, the US and India.