The deal grants Canada-headquartered Clearstone access to MCM’s 21-strong network of contract clinical and diagnostic laboratory facilities that extends across Japan.
In return, MCM and its customers will be able to use the Canadian CRO’s global laboratory facilities, including its recently expanded lab in Beijing, China and its unit in Singapore.
Spokesman Bernie Clark told Outsourcing-pharma.com that: “Clearstone has been working with Mitsubishi over the last year in a similar fashion and we are now at a point where we can publicly announce the partnership,” adding that the deal stands to benefit both parties.
He went on to explain that while Clearstone does not have any lab facilities in Japan, it does service a large number of trial sites in the country and added that access to MCM’s labs will provide customers with more options.
The MCM deal is also similar to an agreement Clearstone formed with Lab Corp’s Esoterix Clinical Trial Services unit late last year, which granted the latter firm access to the Beijing laboratory.
Asia partnering
More broadly the new partnership, financial terms of which have not been disclosed, is in keeping with the global expansion strategy Clearstone set out for 2011.
In February the Canada-headquartered CRO said that its plan was to build its presence in the Asia-Pacific region through the formation of strategic partnerships with local players.
Clark confirmed that this is still the case even after the MCM partnership, telling Outsourcing-pharma.com the firm “will continue to look for unique and innovative solutions and relationships that help our clients streamline and accelerate their clinical research programs.”