Alira Health acquires MA-based CRO as it expands services, global footprint

Alira Health has acquired Clinical Assistance Programs (CAP), a contract research organization (CRO), which complements the company’s consulting, medical affairs, regulatory, and R&D services, says exec.

Clinical Assistance Programs (CAP) is a full-service clinical trial management and consulting company based in Framingham, MA.

Margaret Carlson, chief financial officer (CFO) of Alira Health told us the acquisition fulfills a strategic goal as part of the company’s vision to provide “360-degree services” to its clients.

Clinical Assistance Programs was on our radar for some time, as we sought to complement our core services in strategy consulting, medical affairs, regulatory, and R&D,” she said.

Also headquartered in Framingham, MA, Alira Health is a global advisory firm providing strategy and execution services for healthcare and life science companies. The company, formerly CMC Consulting Group, also raises funds for early-stage companies and has a Bio Safety Level 2 lab in Boston.

Following the acquisition and addition of a clinical development team, Carlson said the company’s in-house staff will now provide clinical trial strategy and execution.

Additionally, the company is doubling the size of its Framingham facility to accommodate the new team and add capacity for new hires. Carlson said the company is actively adding staff.

As part of this continuing investment, the company will also be adding an additional biochemistry lab to meet the needs of Alira’s in-house scientists as well as the needs of firms in its incubator, said Carlson.

While we foresee realizing significant operating cost efficiencies, we expect to add staff due to the increase in demand for our hands-on experience and deep expertise in all phases of product development,” she added.

Moving forward, Carlson said the newly-expanded company will continue to grow its US presence, particularly on the west coast, as well as its operations in Barcelona and Munich.

The company also has offices in San Francisco, Paris, and Milan.