Partnering allows US-based RPG to offer clients local knowledge and clinical resources in Spain, where Pivotal is based, and Portugal. Pivotal has also implemented and completed clinical trials in other Western European countries, including Italy, France and the UK.
RPG plans to leverage Pivotal’s experience of the Spanish market. The US firm said Spain boasts numerous world-renowned investigators and proven investigational sites, a well organised regulatory process, universal health coverage and experienced clinical research staff.
Furthermore, Spain has particular experience in a number of therapeutic areas, including oncology, acute cardiology, infectious diseases and AIDS. Pivotal covers all therapeutic areas but has particular experience in onco-haematology, cardiovascular, anti-infectives and CNS.
Matt Walker, executive vice president of marketing and business development at RPG, said this experience will benefit all regions it operates in. This will be achieved by leveraging Pivotal’s team and therapeutic expertise for client protocol reviews and other programme design efforts.
Before the Pivotal deal RPG had a number of partnerships throughout Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Scandinavia, as well as one in Germany, but was lacking a strong presence in the west of the continent.
Capabilities
Pivotal is a full-service contract research organisation (CRO), which also offers pharma consultancy, and employs 110 people. These include seven medical staff working in a medical and pharmacovigilance hub.
The Spain-based CRO also has a data management and biostatistics division which uses a fully integrated suite of Oracle software, including Oracle Clinical, RDC, Siebel CTMS and Argus Safety.
Ibrahim Farr, founder, chairman and CEO of Pivotal, said the company had achieved double-digit growth for several years and become a reference CRO in its region. Joining with RPG will extend its geographic reach.