CRO Chiltern Acquires And Merges With CRO Ockham
By Cyndi Root
Chiltern, a contract research organization (CRO), announced in a press release that it has acquired Ockham, a CRO. The two will merge operations into a combined company that will be called Chiltern. The companies expect that this merger will strengthen service offerings as it is bringing together the scientific and management team of Ockham with Chiltern.
Dr. James Esinhart, CEO of Chiltern, said, “This merger is a natural progression towards our strategic goal of becoming the premier specialized mid-tier CRO.”
James V. Baker, CDO of the newly combined business Chiltern, said that the merger was an easy choice due to Chiltern’s global reach and presence in Europe. He added, “We are fortunate to have found the ideal partner with a complete understanding and commitment to the unique needs of our emerging biotech clientele.”
Ockham Acquisition
Chiltern has acquired 100 percent of Ockham, whose management team including Mr. Baker will join the new company. Chiltern’s current CEO Dr. Esinhart, will continue as CEO. The two companies intend to leverage each other’s service offerings in strategic areas including oncology, respiratory, ophthalmology, infectious disease, vaccines, and dermatology. Chiltern will also function as a Global Functional Service Provider (FSP) and provide custom solutions for clinical and regulatory requirements.
About Ockham
Ockham operates from its headquarters in Cary, North Carolina. The company was founded in 1986 and employs 300 people according to a regional newspaper, the Triangle Business Journal. Ockham’s European headquarters are located in Roslin, Scotland, and the company has offices around the world. In May, the company announced that it developed a software system with Mindprint to help manage the operational complexity of clinical trials. Two years ago, Ockham acquired Nexus Oncology, a Scotland-based oncology CRO.
About Chiltern
Chiltern is a UK-based company with 30 years of experience as a CRO. The company has over 1,600 employees in 40 countries including the U.S. and Latin America. In February 2014, the company announced in a press release that it partnered with Karolinska Development of Sweden, a life science development company that licenses or sells innovative products. This year, the company has made several personnel appointments and restructured its investor base. In 2013, it announced its financial performance including revenues of £104 million ($178 million).