Two contract research organisations (CROs) based in Berlin, Germany have joined forces to set up a new group that may expand to incorporate other associated providers of clinical-research services.
MEDIS Research Group is the result of a strategic partnership between ICRC-Weyer, which provides services including data management, biostatistics, monitoring and medical review at all stages of the clinical development process, and Allied Clinical Management, which specialises in planning, management and on-site monitoring of Phase I to Phase IV trials.
The partnership comes in response to “a shift in the market towards consolidation” over the last few years, the two companies noted.
They have already worked together successfully on a number of clinical-research projects, with Allied Clinical Management handling trial conduct, site management and monitoring, while ICRC-Weyer has looked after ‘back-office’ functions such as clinical-data management, biostatistics and medical writing.
“Consolidation and specialisation,” commented Michael Roehl, managing director of Allied Clinical Management. “These are two of the major business challenges our industry has been facing over the last few years.”
With Allied Clinical Management’s trial-conduct experience in areas such as oncology and cardiovascular diseases, coupled with ICRC-Weyer’s highly specialised medical data-management and data-analysis services, trial sponsors “can draw from our clinical research expertise to receive best value for money for their clinical-trial projects”, Roehl added.
Standard operating procedures
The two companies have developed and implemented standard operating procedures to streamline their collaborative processes and ensure clients can outsource through a single service point.
ICRC-Weyer and Allied Clinical Management say they are already in discussions with clinical-research service providers they have worked with in the past, such as clinical laboratories and medical communication experts, about joining the group.
This would enable MEDIS Research Group to offer a complete range of clinical-trial services, from protocol design through to writing up the final clinical study.
