• SKIP TO CONTENT
  • SKIP NAVIGATION
  • Patient Resources
    • COVID-19 Patient Resource Center
    • Clinical Trials
    • Search Clinical Trials
    • Patient Notification System
    • What is Clinical Research?
    • Volunteering for a Clinical Trial
    • Understanding Informed Consent
    • Useful Resources
    • FDA Approved Drugs
  • Professional Resources
    • Research Center Profiles
    • Clinical Trial Listings
    • Market Research
    • FDA Approved Drugs
    • Training Guides
    • Books
    • eLearning
    • Events
    • Newsletters
    • JobWatch
    • White Papers
    • Patient Education
    • SOPs
    • eCFR and Guidances
  • White Papers
  • Trial Listings
  • Advertise
  • COVID-19
  • iConnect
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Home » Parexel Buys Larger Stake in India Venture and Expands Phase I Business in U.S., Europe

Parexel Buys Larger Stake in India Venture and Expands Phase I Business in U.S., Europe

April 4, 2008
CenterWatch Staff

Waltham, Mass.-based contract research organization (CRO) Parexel has grown its early phase operations with an expansion of three clinical pharmacology units (CPUs), located in Baltimore, London and Berlin.

The expansion brings the company’s total worldwide phase I bed capacity to 550, one of the largest in the industry, the company stated. Parexel also has CPUs in San Diego and Los Angeles, and two facilities in South Africa. Each of its phase I facilities uses its clinical trial management and electronic data capture (EDC) technology, ClinBase. The company’s early phase services include bioanalytical services, data management, biostatistics, medical writing, pharmacokinetic services and consulting.

Parexel expanded its London facility to 64 beds. With a strong focus on respiratory disease and cardiac safety, the unit has a separate respiratory laboratory, and can provide cardiac telemetry and electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. The unit has been operational for 15 years.

The company’s Baltimore facility, which specializes in immunology, pulmonary and oncology studies, will be expanded to 90 beds. The facility boasts the ability to conduct state-of-the-art imaging and radiochemistry testing—an area of increasing demand in clinical trials. It uses positron emission tomography (PET) equipment. The unit opened in 2001.

The CRO’s two CPUs in Berlin now have a 160-bed capacity combined. The phase I units specialize in advanced sleep research using their own dedicated sleep laboratories. Both units conduct studies for cardiovascular, central nervous system, respiratory, dermatology, metabolism and endocrine and infectious disease.

The company can conduct trials in India through Synchron Research Services, a Bangalore-based CRO it controls though a majority-owned stake. Parexel also runs phase I services in India through a partially owned venture with Synchron’s Ahmedabad-based facility, which has about 86 beds. Last month, Parexel increased its ownership stake in that venture from 19.5% to 31% at a cost of $5 million.

“There has been significant demand from a range of clients, including small and emerging bio/pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, and large pharmaceutical companies, requesting clinical research services in India, one of the high growth emerging economies. Recent reforms in the regulatory system in India have increased approval rates of studies.  Additionally, India will become an even more attractive location for clinical research as other systems and laws are implemented, such as the patent system and data exclusivity laws,” said Josef von Rickenbach, Parexel’s chief executive officer.

At the same time, Parexel sold its France-based bioanalytical and biomarker testing laboratory facility—owned since 1999—to a subsidiary of Synchron for approximately $6.7 million. The Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Class A certified unit will now be called Synexel Research International and will stay within Synchron’s operational network. All of the lab’s staff will remain.

In April 2007, Synchron acquired Innovance, a 64-bed, 18,000-square-foot research center and 14-bed phase I facility. The company also started Thailand’s first early stage CRO, Bio-Innova, in Bangkok.
“We are looking for more operations in other countries soon to increase our footprint in Asia,” stated Shivprakash Rathnam, Synchron’s founder and chief executive officer.

According to the Business Standard of India, Synchron is expanding its services to Vietnam with a new $2 million research facility. The company is planning to go public in the next two years.

Upcoming Events

  • 15Apr

    Five Telltale Signs You’re Ready for an Electronic TMF System

  • 26Apr

    MAGI's Clinical Research vConference — Spring 2021

  • 06May

    The World of Post-COVID-19 Clinical Trials: How to Prepare for What’s Coming Next

Featured Products

  • Regenerative Medicine – Steps to Accelerate Development : PDF

    Regenerative Medicine: Steps to Accelerate Development

  • Clinical Trial Agreements — A Guide to Key Words and Phrases : PDF

    Clinical Trial Agreements: A Guide to Key Words and Phrases

Featured Stories

  • Clinical-Trial-Brainstorming

    FDA, Industry Tackle Problem of Including Older Adults in Trials

  • ClinicalTrialNetwork-360x240.png

    National Community-Based Research Network Would Improve Reach of Trials

  • Bottleneck-360x240.png

    Sites Face Trials Bottleneck After Pandemic, But Also Opportunities

  • AsktheExpertsBadge-360x240.png

    Ask the Experts: Genetic Research and IBC Oversight Requirements

Standard Operating Procedures for Risk-Based Monitoring of Clinical Trials

The information you need to adapt your monitoring plan to changing times.

Learn More Here
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Footer Logo

300 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Falls Church, VA 22046, USA

Phone 617.948.5100 – Toll free 866.219.3440

Copyright © 2021. All Rights Reserved. Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing