WuXi AppTec, a global pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device open-access capability and technology platform, has acquired ResearchPoint Global (RPG), a U.S.-based CRO with expertise spanning across all major therapeutic areas. Upon the closing of this acquisition, RPG will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of WuXi, and will continue to focus on growing its core competences and providing better clinical development services. The acquisition underscores a strategic step forward to expand WuXi's clinical research capabilities in the U.S. and around the world, further strengthening WuXi's integrated R&D capability platform.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, RPG is a full-service contract clinical research organization, with coverage in more than 60 countries. As a highly nimble organization with a unique blend of an experienced team, RPG provides a full range of CRO services, including project management, site selection and management, safety and medical monitoring, clinical monitoring, data management, biostatistics, as well as medical writing, across all phases of clinical development, including multi-regional clinical trials.

With this strategic move, RPG and WuXi's existing China-based Clinical Development Service ("CDS") team will be integrated into a business unit that will bring truly global and seamlessly integrated clinical development service to the customers. RPG has long established close and strategic partnerships with local expertise from countries in North America, Eastern and Western Europe, Asia Pacific and Israel.  WuXi has a China-based 500-member clinical CRO and 1,000-member clinical research coordinator team (SMO services organization), with deep China regulatory expertise as an integral part of WuXi's open-access enabling platform.

China's recent regulatory reforms that embrace overseas trial data provide an unprecedented opportunity for innovators around the world to accelerate and integrate clinical development both regionally and globally through the combined organization of WuXi and RPG. 

"ResearchPoint Global is excited to join WuXi AppTec, a world-class organization with superior leadership, a like-minded focus with a customer-centric approach, as well as a goal to enable every company to discover and develop products to improve the lives of patients around the world. This combination now allows us to offer customers a true global solution from Discovery to Regulatory Submission," said John V. Farinacci, President and CEO of ResearchPoint Global.

"We are very pleased to welcome RPG to WuXi. John has spent nearly 20 years building a highly reputable organization in this industry," said Dr. Ge Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WuXi AppTec. "This business combination lays the groundwork for the creation of an integrated global clinical service organization with global expertise and global network. This is an important milestone in our mission towards building the most comprehensive and integrated enabling platform to help our global partners bring better medicines faster to patients around the world."