The study will be carried out at clinical trial sites in North America, Scandinavia, and Central/Eastern Europe and Encorium will provide services such as trial design, project and study site selection and management, field operations, data management, biostatistical services and medical writing.
US-based Encorium was born in November out of a merger between Covalent Group and Remedium Oy, a privately owned contract research organisation (CRO) based in Espoo, Finland.Through the merger the two CROs hoped to attract new customers by offering an increased global coverage.
In addition, they decided to focus on oncology as an area of growing opportunity, as well as cardiovascular disease, as clinical trials in these two therapeutic areas are numerous and have many expertise and resource similarities.
"This contract is highly significant for us as it demonstrates the positive impact that our new business model has already had on our ability to successfully win new business," said Kenneth Borow, president and CEO of Encorium.
The firm also recently announced an $8.2m contract for multinational Phase I and II studies supporting the development of an anti-viral agent for seasonal and avian flu.
"Our belief in the new business model is further supported by the fact that patient recruitment for these Phase II studies will occur in North America, Scandinavia, the Baltics, and Western, Central and Eastern Europe, where the newly-formed Encorium will have operational capabilities," said Borow.