Author: Peter Mansell

The Russian agency cleared a total of 615 new trials in 2008, 282 of which were Phase III studies, 152 Phase II, 62 Phase IV and 38 Phase I, according to the latest report from Moscow-based contract research organisation (CRO) Synergy Research Group. The number of Phase III trials rose by 22% over 2007, while there were 4% fewer Phase II studies and 3% more Phase IV studies. The Phase I tally rose by 19% year-on-year.

Recession effects and the strong dollar aside, Covance is pushing ahead with beefing up its presence in new markets for clinical research. The US-based contract research organisation (CRO) has opened clinical development offices in Kiev (Ukraine), Bratislava (Slovakia) and Tel Aviv (Israel) respectively.

US-based contract research organisation (CRO) PharmaNet Development Group has found a way out of its current financial bind by agreeing to a merger with affiliates of private equity firm JLL Partners.

Perceptive Informatics, the eClinical subsidiary of US-based contract research organisation (CRO) Parexel, has formed an alliance with global diagnostic imaging network AG Mednet that aims to improve both the efficiency with which medical images are delivered in clinical trials and the quality of imaging data.

African-American distrust of clinical research and the medical system persists strongly is hampering the participation of children in clinical trials that could help to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities, a new US study concludes.