Ireland-based Icon,a global CRO for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries, and Japan-based CRO Acronet, have signed an alliance agreement. The two companies will collaborate to offer global and Japanese pharmaceutical clients a range of clinical development capabilities to manage trials, regionally and globally.

Shogo Nakamori, Acronet’s president and CEO, said, “The number of global clinical trials involving the triad regions of U.S., E.U. and Japan has increased gradually in recent years and this trend will continue to accelerate.  This is one of the challenging areas for the Japanese pharmaceutical industry, and Acronet is now ready to contribute and support the above challenging areas through this alliance with Icon.”