Swiss contract research organization (CRO) TFS Trial Form Support has extended its partnership with Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden to 2016 and expanded the CRO’s early clinical research unit to 15,000 square feet and 30 overnight beds.

 The partnership with Karolinska, which was first signed in 2003, led to the development of the early clinical development unit at Karolinska Trial Alliance.

The hospital-based unit provides access to special patient populations, and the newly expanded unit will shorten timelines for certain studies, TFS said.

According to the CRO, TFS' clinical research unit is the largest in Northern Europe.