Venn Life Sciences completes acquisition of DCI France

DUBLIN, Ireland—Venn Life Sciences, a multinational clinicalresearch organization (CRO), has completed the acquisition of DCI, aParis-based CRO founded by Dr. Frédérique Cabrières in 1989 that offers twotypes of specialized services to clients: clinical trial management servicesfor Phase I-IV, and contract placement solutions for clinical researchprojects. Terms of the acquisition, which was originally announced in early2010, were not made public.

Vennprovides comprehensive clinical trial management services to pharmaceutical,biotechnology and medical device companies, notes company CEO Tony Richardson.Launched in Canada in 2007, Venn opened a Swiss office in 2008. The company nowhas locations in Australia, France, the Netherlands and Mexico with itsheadquarters in Dublin, Ireland.

DCI brings quality and value to clients' clinical trialprograms by offering flexibility of services coupled with extensive knowledgeof the French clinical trial industry, Richardson states. With more than 20years experience, DCI counts some of the world's leading pharmaceutical andbiotech companies among its clients, he adds.

"It is an exciting day for Venn," Richardson says. "We areconstantly seeking to improve what we offer to our sponsors, both in geographicreach and scale of services. This addition to our group extends our operationsthroughout Europe, enhancing an already extensive breadth of expertise intherapeutic indications and clinical trial management services."

In addition to its in-house expertise, Venn has developedrelationships with experts around the world.

"These partnerships have helped us to strengthen our coreofferings, which ensure that our clients have the best of services for theirclinical trials. We have developed this network to cope with geographical andregulatory challenges. We can benefit from our alliances' local language andcultural knowledge. Our team of experts spans the globe. Our clients have awider choice of patients and geographic locations," Richardson states.

"The acquisition of DCI is a key milestone for Venn in itsobjective to become a leading international player, offering sponsors increasedaccess to principal investigators and patient pools worldwide," Richardsonadds. "One of our major focus areas is local, on-the-ground regulatoryknowledge, especially in Europe, which has long been a complex area for drugdevelopment organizations. Vennalready has a wide breadth of experience in therapeutic indications and thiswill be enhanced by the addition of the Venn France team. The broad range ofdiseases that they have worked with in the therapeutic indications greatlyboosts the Venn portfolio, especially in the areas of oncology, vaccines, genetherapy and dermatology.

"We have atried and tested integration plan," Richardson adds. "We will seek, where itmakes sense, to centralize support functions in Dublin, allowing the acquiredbusiness to focus on winning and executing business." Cabrières will continueto be involved in the business and will retain responsibility for the formerDCI facility in Paris. Richardson says the former DCI staff will provide clinical professionals suchas project managers, monitors, CRAs and CTAs to sponsors on an as-needed basisto resource the running of clinical trials.

"The pace of growth at Venn sees us joining a company at avery exciting time and being part of Venn will enable us to better leverage ourexpertise offering our local clients access to international sites andpersonnel with worldwide experience of clinical trial management," saysCabrières. "Both companies' business ethic is focused on a commitment toexcellence and quality and this can only be reinforced by the coming togetherof the two organizations."