Earlier today TFS announced it will buy the electronic data capture (EDC) division of fellow Sweden-based Semcon Caran, which is an IT and business solutions firm that works across a wide range of sectors.
The deal – which is expected to complete on April 1 – will add capabilities in post-market EDC for both drugs and medical devices to its offering and is designed to cater for customer demand according to Jan Hellqvist, regional managing director of TFS Northern Europe.
“TFS customers will have access to a highly professional technology team and an easy to use e-CRF system,” Hellqvist said, adding that: “We will strengthen the early phase services as well as the late phase services.”
Montse Barcelo, executive European VP at TFS agreed, explaining that: “TFS has been searching the market for an e-CRF system in order to provide our biotech and global late phase clients with a cost efficient EDC solution.
“The Semcon deal means that we have found the best tool for this purpose and have also acquired an experienced team who can start working immediately on new late phase EDC studies for our customers.”
Late phase
News of the acquisition follows just six weeks after TFS announced that it would buy Italian Contract research organization (CRO) Dimensione Ricerca to build its presence in Southern Europe and bolster its oncology offering.
Like the Semcon deal the Dimensione takeover was motivated by the ability to add technology and employees, specifically biostatistics capabilities and a 40-strong team of analysts.
The other similarity is the focus post-market studies. In December when the Dimension takeover was announced Barcelo said “late stage services, increasingly being asked for by our customers” and stressed the importance of building expertise in this area.