Perceptive Informatics and Acurian Announce Strategic Product Development Partnership
Perceptive Informatics, Inc., a subsidiary of PAREXEL International Corporation (Nasdaq: PRXL), and provider of innovative technology-based solutions designed to accelerate drug development, and Acurian, Inc., a leading provider of direct-to-patient recruitment, investigator recruitment, and centralized patient screening technology, announced that the two companies have expanded their strategic product development partnership. Perceptive Informatics will integrate Acurian’s investigator database and aggregate patient data into IMPACT, its leading clinical trials management system (CTMS), and into INVESTIGATOR, its proprietary investigator database solution. Bio/pharmaceutical companies and clinical research organizations (CROs) will have online accessibility to evaluate investigator sites, based on performance as well as proximity to relevant populations of potential study participants. Sponsors will be able to utilize the technology to leverage investigator and patient data, and gain competitive and cost advantages.
Investigator selection is critical to the success of clinical development studies. According to Acurian project data, the top quartile of investigative sites consistently outperforms the bottom quartile by a factor of four to six times. Acurian’s investigator database currently contains searchable profiles of over 48,000 US-based investigators, enabling sponsors to rapidly and objectively evaluate research physicians for clinical trials.
With over 14,000 users worldwide, Perceptive’s IMPACT enables bio/pharmaceutical companies and CROs to better administer the complex process of conducting clinical trials. INVESTIGATOR is a flexible, web-based clinical investigator system that combines a rich data repository with a decision support environment, enabling companies to leverage investigator data across the entire enterprise.
“We are very pleased to be working with Perceptive Informatics, and to extend our integration with both IMPACT and INVESTIGATOR,” said Mark Eisenach, Acurian’s CEO. “Together we will offer customers the ability to make better decisions regarding who they select to run their trials, which can ultimately reduce clinical trial costs and accelerate enrollment.”
“Our relationship with Acurian is yet another indication of our commitment to providing customers with robust and functionally rich clinical trials management solutions,” added Mark A. Goldberg, MD, President of Perceptive Informatics, Inc. “By combining our online accessibility to critical trial management data with Acurian’s investigator and patient recruitment solutions, we believe we can add real value to the clinical development process.”
About Acurian
Acurian is a leading provider of clinical trial patient and investigator recruitment solutions for the life sciences industry. Through its proprietary patient panel, exclusive pharmacy partnerships, and centralized screening platform, Acurian is able to identify, contact, prescreen, and refer interested study candidates, as well as profile and recruit experienced investigators, quickly and affordably. Since 1998, Acurian has helped accelerate more than 100 clinical trials for over 30 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including 8 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies in the world. Acurian’s investors include Euclid SR Partners, ProQuest Investments, JP Morgan Partners, CDP Capital Technology Ventures, Flatiron Partners & Merck Capital Ventures. Additional information about Acurian is available at <a target='_blank' href='http://www.acurian.com.
About Perceptive Informatics
Perceptive Informatics, Inc. develops and offers a portfolio of innovative technology-based products and services that facilitate clinical drug development and are designed to decrease time to peak sales. The technology portfolio includes web-based portal solutions and tracking tools, Interactive Voice Response Systems (IVRS), and clinical trial management systems (CTMS). IMPACT is Perceptive’s market leading CTMS product and INITIATOR is a trial management product targeted to the needs of Phase I units. Perceptive offers advanced medical imaging services to assess rapidly and objectively the safety and efficacy of new drugs, biologics, and medical devices in clinical trials. In addition, the company provides electronic diary and investigator database solutions. Perceptive is headquartered near Boston, MA with approximately 300 employees in offices located throughout North America and Europe. Perceptive Informatics is a subsidiary of PAREXEL International Corporation.
This release contains “forward-looking” statements regarding future results and events. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words “believes”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “expects”, “intends”, “appears”, “estimates”, “projects” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. PAREXEL’s actual future results may differ significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements contained in this release. Important factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, risks associated with: actual operating performance; actual expense savings and other operating improvements resulting from recent restructurings; the loss, modification, or delay of contracts; PAREXEL’s dependence on certain industries and clients; PAREXEL’s ability to win new business, manage growth, and attract and retain employees; PAREXEL’s ability to complete additional acquisitions and to integrate newly acquired businesses or enter into new lines of business; government regulation of the drug, medical device and biotechnology industry; consolidation within the pharmaceutical industry; competition within the biopharmaceutical services industry; the potential for significant liability to clients and third parties; the potential adverse impact of health care reform; and the effects of exchange rate fluctuations and other international economic, political, and other risks. Such factors and others are discussed more fully in the section entitled “Risk Factors” of PAREXEL’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2003 as filed with the SEC on February 10, 2004, which “Risk Factors” discussion is incorporated by reference in this press release. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent PAREXEL’s estimates as of the date of this release. PAREXEL specifically disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the future. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing PAREXEL’s estimates or views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
Acurian is a trademark of Acurian, Inc. PAREXEL is a registered trademark of PAREXEL International Corporation, and Perceptive Informatics is a trademark of Perceptive Informatics, Inc. All other names or marks may be registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged.
