E-learning duo: GeneEd, Zenosis provide end-to-end educational service

SAN FRANCISCO – GeneEd and Zenosis, two companies focused on delivering e-learning curricula for the pharmaceutical industry, announced in early May they will work together to provide a single, end-to-end educational service for life science companies. The combination of services will provide courses in everything from basic life science skills all the way to clearing regulatory hurdles for drug approval.

GeneEd, based here, and London-based Zenosis were formed in 1997 and 2002 respectively, and provide complementary online courses to the pharmaceutical industry. GeneEd focuses on life science, drug discovery and clinical training, while Zenosis specializes in training pharmaceutical executives on regulatory and compliance issues in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

"About 30 to 40 percent of our business comes from Europe and Zenosis was clearly focused on Europe when we first met with them," says Sunil Maulik, Ph.D., CEO of GeneEd. "By combining sales efforts and providing our services on a shared platform each can gain a greater presence and provide comprehensive e-learning for pharmaceutical clients. (Joining with) Zenosis closes the circle on the whole pharmaceutical pipeline."

The Zenosis online catalog currently offers 15 courses, with five more scheduled for 2005 release and features courses as diverse as a unit on EU and US orphan drug applications, to a module that explores conducting clinical trials in India. GeneEd, meanwhile, has online courses in areas such as biopharmaceutical technology and genomics.

Officials at Zenosis were not available prior to press time, but Simon Burgess, CEO says in a prepared statement that "this product and distribution integration partnership can provide clients a balanced viewpoint of the regulatory and compliance issues they face in the U.S., Europe and Asia."

Currently, both companies are working to unite the course on a single platform and are readying the combined sales efforts. In addition to internal sales staff, Maulik notes that GeneEd has re-seller agreements with both Amersham Biosciences (now a part of GE Healthcare) and PerkinElmer.

Clients of both companies are a virtual "who's who" of industry heavyweights including AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Wyeth and Merck, among others.

Pricing for the courses, which can be taken online, is on a subscription basis determined by the number of users and courses completed.