The Asia-Pacific-based contract research organization (CRO) Novotech – with more than 400 staff across Asia-Pacific and business development offices in the US – has acquired Clinical Network Services (CNS), a specialty CRO with more than 140 employees in Australia, New Zealand, and the US.
Novotech CEO Dr. John Moller said, “We increasingly see biopharma companies choosing the Australian market, with its attractive R&D tax structure and world-class medical facilities, to run their first-in-human studies, and then expand up into the Asia region to accelerate the next phases of their programs.”
Moller told us that by joining forces Novotech and CNS can further support biopharma companies’ clinical research programs across different countries and phases.
The deal also allows Novotech to expand its consulting service offering with the CNS “biodesk” capability, he explained.
The biodesk offering provides clients with product development advice at various stages, including toxicology, chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC), as well as regulatory interactions.
“While we are retaining our corporate identities, what the acquisition does mean for biopharma is they now have a proven CRO team to take them through the clinical research phases in the region from Australia and New Zealand to Asia,” Moller said.