A 2008 report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) ranked Korea as the third-best outsourcing location, citing its large market and impressive growth. Covance, PRA and Lab Research are among the contract research organisations (CRO) to target Korea in the past 12 months.
These companies are now joined by SIRO. The India-based CRO has formed an alliance with Seoul-based DreamCIS to expand its geographic reach in Asia Pacific.
“This pact will help us on one hand to build a strong competitive advantage in the Asia Pacific region, while on the other hand it will create a sustainable value for our existing as well as potential customers”, explained Ajit Nair, president, SIRO India.
In particular, the alliance provides SIRO with “a wider platform of patient recruitment capabilities from Asia Pacific region”, according to Nair, by giving it access to a new population pool.
Sponsors working with SIRO now have the option of performing clinical trials in this patient population. DreamCIS can provide these clients with clinical trial management, pharmacovigilance, post-marketing surveillance, biostatistics and quality assurance services.
SIRO did not respond to Outsourcing-Pharma’s request for further information in time for publication.
Trials in Korea
Korea’s large existing market and growth opportunities have helped attract a number of CROs. Underpinning this growth are the benefits it offers as a clinical trial destination, which range from preapproved and well equipped study sites to an efficient regulatory process.
These factors have helped local CROs to prosper. DreamCIS has been operating in this environment for almost 10 years and has joined with SIRO to gain the global exposure it believes will help drive growth in coming years.