September 2004 – The CenterWatch Monthly : Volume 11, Issue 9, September 2004

Preclinical/Clinical CRO Powerhouse

With the preclinical market growing at a faster rate than the clinical market, some clinical CROs with preclinical capabilities are poised to grow and ride out the ups and downs of the drug development lifecycle. Charles River Laboratories’ proposed acquisition of Inveresk has highlighted not only the strength of their combined efforts in the preclinical market, but shows the promise of how a mix of preclinical and clinical capabilities can be powerful in the overall contract research market.

A Turning Point for SMOs

The SMO market still struggles for the attention of trial sponsors. A single SMO was rarely represented by more than a handful of sites per study, but in recent months sponsors have allowed SMOs to manage a higher proportion of patient volume. Consolidation of the fragmented site market has slowed, but the level of interest from investors in the surviving SMOs is picking up. The large, established players in the SMO field have a positive outlook. They have survived the lean years, have done the hard work of clinical research, integrated acquisitions and built infrastructure. They are poised to prove their worth to sponsors.

Pharmaplex Offers Site Support Service in the EU in a New Way

Based on the U.S. model of site support services companies, Pharmaplex has begun to offer site support to European Union sites.

Eye On: Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian Cancer is diagnosed in more than 25,000 American women each year. CenterWatch has identified a pipeline of 21 drugs in development for ovarian cancer.

• Month in Review
• In the Pipeline
• Opportunities Underway
• TrialWatch