Clinical site and regulatory review solutions provider Advarra has acquired Longboat, a Dublin, Ireland-based firm offering an array of clinical trial technologies. Longboat’s services focus on site training, protocol compliance and patient engagement.
Advarra CEO Gadi Saarony told Outsourcing-Pharma that Longboat’s “stellar reputation,” along with an overlap in client base, helped fuel the decision to acquire the Irish company.
“Longboat and Advarra share many of the same life sciences and CRO customers, and a large number of the academic medical center sites that run Advarra’s Technology Solutions work with Longboat’s site training solutions for complex trials including Oncology, CNS, and Rare Disease,” he pointed out.
However, Saarony added, the two firms mostly complement, rather than duplicate, each other.
“We think of Longboat as a natural bridge between Advarra’s Research Services business, which includes our IRB, IBC and consulting services and Advarra’s Technology Solutions business, which provides software to clinical research sites including OnCore, our market-leading CTMS,” he explained.
“By connecting the Longboat platform with Advarra’s Research Services and Technology Solutions, a sponsor, CRO or Academic medical center will be able to seamlessly connect the protocol, research site technology and site training solution, improving clinical trial efficiency by reducing participant and site burden,” Saarony continued.
Further, Saarony explained, Advarra plans to preserve the Longboat brand, build awareness of the company coming under the Advarra umbrella, and expand the Longboat staff as they grow the business. Longboat’s Dublin location will serve as Advarra’s European headquarters, he added.
Longboat CEO Ken O’Connell said his firm is excited about joining forces with a “high-growth” company such as Advarra.
“With a commitment to technology-enabled solutions and an approach that fosters collaboration across the clinical ecosystem, joining Advarra will provide increased opportunities to expand compliance management offerings,” said O’Connell.
The Longboat acquisition is the latest in a continuing string of purchases by Advarra, which include buying IntegReview IRB earlier this month, and acquiring IRBco in May. Saarony told OSP Advarra’s strategy involves building its capabilities and augmenting its existing offerings.
“Our goal is to provide integrated solutions to our customers that improve clinical trial research, efficiency and workflows and bring much needed therapies to patients sooner,” Saarony said.
