Chiltern acquires Japanese CRO

30-May-2017 - Last updated on 31-May-2017 at 21:25 GMT

Integrated Development Associates Co. Ltd. (IDA) specializes in integrating Japan and Asia into global drug development. (Image: iStock/Kritchanut)

Chiltern has acquired Integrated Development Associates Co. Ltd. (IDA), a Japenese contract research organization (CRO) with offices in Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

IDA was founded in 2004 and provides a variety of services including product development consulting, clinical development, and commercialization.

Following completion of the acquisition, IDA will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Chiltern.

John Winebarger, IDA’s founder and CEO will continue to lead the company, which will be renamed IDA, a Chiltern Company.

“IDA will enable Chiltern to grow in the APAC region as well as open the door to more opportunities globally, our clients will now have more options for conducting clinical research in the Asia-Pacific region,” Jim Esinhart, Ph.D., Chiltern CEO told Outsourcing-Pharma.com.

"Our commitment to collaboration and projects focused on our clients’ needs are well supported by the addition of offices in Japan and additional resources in the Philippines," he added.

SAKIGAKE Designation

The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) established new regulations known as SAKIGAKE (or the “Forerunner Initiative”) in 2015. The approval pathway was designed to accelerate the drug development and approval process in Japan.

According to the company’s website, IDA obtained SAKIGAKE Designation in 2015, which provides a variety of benefits including shortened review times, priority NDA review, among others.

Global expansion

Earlier this year Chiltern also expanded its presence in India with a new process and technology center in Bangalore. The new center supports the company’s analytics, risk-based optimization, biometrics, and pharmacovigilance capabilities.