ICRI, Synexus in research SMO deal

The Mumbai-based ICRI Research, the associate company of Institute of Clinical Research of India (ICRI), has joined hands with the European drug development major Synexus Clinical Research Plc to form the country's first patient recruitment site management organisation (SMO) for undertaking global clinical trial projects.

The two companies have signed a strategic alliance to offer a chain of exclusive investigator sites (clinical research centres) across India to undertake phase two to phase four global clinical trials.

The SMO will help the investigator in fast and effective patient recruitment and to deliver the required data on schedule.Synexus Clinical Research is into largest patient recruitment organisation in Europe.

The UK-based clinical research group has been handling clinical trials projects for the global pharmaceutical industry for almost a decade now.

The company, with this Indian collaboration, would now be able to undertake global trials which needs to be conducted in India from its existing and new clients.

About the synergy of the Indian collaboration, Ian Smith, managing director, Synexus, said that it is a privilege for Synexus to have the opportunity to join hands with IRL and it will work in all therapeutic areas where OPD based studies can be undertaken.

S R Dugal, chairman, IRL added that the tie-up will ensure active patient participation for each clinical study and it will source patients through internationally accepted recruitment methods.