Pivotal provides central laboratory testing services to customers across Europe, as well as in Israel and South Africa, and has been pushing into central and eastern European markets of late.
While Pivotal has worked closely with ACM for four years, the US-based company said it wanted to bring it fully in-house, in keeping with the prevailing trend among CROs to position themselves as global, integrated providers. This approach, it is held, makes it easier to win high-level, strategic contracts with customers.
In a statement, ACM said the Pivotal acquisition will enable it to “centralise certain functional areas where cost savings are possible.” Neither company provided details about the terms of the acquisition agreement.
“Establishing ownership in Europe strengthens our presence in this very important region,” said Elena Logan, vice president, clinical trials, at ACM Global Central Lab.
The UK firm is also one of only eight labs in the UK with College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditation, which involves a rigorous on-site inspection of records and quality control procedures including staff qualifications, equipment, health and safety and the overall site management.
“The complete integration of the two companies places us in a stronger position, as we anticipate continued growth in the global clinical trials market,” said Art Glenz, president and CEO, ACM Medical Laboratory.
The acquisition will increase ACM’s employee base in both the US and the UK, according to the release.
Central laboratory services, which span numerous medical disciplines, including safety, pathology, microbiology, flow cytometry and pharmacogenomics, is a fast-growing sector, driven both by the increasing size and complexity of clinical trials and the fact that no drugmakers has this capability in-house.
Other large-scale suppliers of central laboratory services include Covance, Quintiles, PPD, MDS Pharma Services, PRA and Eurofins.