WILMINGTON, N.C. & BERLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pharmaceutical Product Development, LLC (PPD) and the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin today announced a new collaboration between the company and the hospital’s clinical trials management unit (CTMU) to increase the volume of clinical trials conducted in Germany, improve access to commercial clinical research for patients, accelerate the development of new medicines and enhance health care treatment opportunities for German citizens.
The collaboration builds upon the long-standing relationship between PPD and the Charité, one of the largest and most well-respected university hospitals in Europe. With 13,200 employees, the hospital maintains more than 100 clinics and institutes within 17 CharitéCenters at its four campuses.
“Germany’s abundance of intellectual and technical resources, coupled with the ongoing advances that have streamlined the clinical research process, make the country extremely attractive for clinical research,” said Roger Newbery, PPD’s vice president of clinical management for Europe, Middle East and Africa. “We welcome the opportunity to strengthen our relationship with a world-class treatment facility that is one of our most experienced and most frequently used clinical research sites globally. Likewise, we are pleased to enhance our support for our clients in expanding their research programs in Germany and around the world.”
PPD will collaborate with the CTMU to shorten study start-up times, maximize the number of patients recruited for clinical trials, generate continued high-quality data and ensure all site staff members are trained as necessary for the conduct of clinical studies.
“By extending our relationship with PPD, our aim is to ensure improved access to novel medicines and advance our mission of securing lasting health improvements for our patients,” said Gerrit Fleige, executive director, finance and administration of the medical faculty of the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin. “As one of the world’s leading contract research organizations, PPD is able to provide us with a wealth of capabilities and services. For instance, this collaboration will further enhance the Charité’s reputation as a global center of excellence for clinical research through a first-class research site and a host of clinical investigators with expertise across a broad spectrum of therapeutic areas."
The agreement includes a wide range of Phase I-IV trials across multiple therapeutic areas. A substantial number of Germany’s 80.5 million citizens have participated in clinical trials, and the country has a significant share of diseases in the key therapeutic areas that are emphasized in clinical research.
With offices in Munich, Karlsruhe and Nuremberg, PPD’s team of more than 400 professionals in Germany offers expertise in biostatistics, clinical management, data management, pharmacovigilance, project management and quality assurance.
Key focus areas for the CTMU include hematology/oncology, cardiovascular, neurology, psychiatry, respiratory, rheumatology, anesthesia, dermatology, nephrology, urology and women's health.
About PPD
PPD is a leading global contract research organization providing drug discovery, development, lifecycle management and laboratory services. Our clients and partners include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government organizations. With offices in 46 countries and more than 13,000 professionals worldwide, PPD applies innovative technologies, therapeutic expertise and a commitment to quality to help clients and partners accelerate the delivery of safe and effective therapeutics and maximize the returns on their R&D investments. For more information, visit www.ppdi.com.
About the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin
The Charité is one of the oldest hospitals in Germany with a history that is rich in tradition and culture. It is one of the largest university hospitals in Europe and serves as an outstanding institution for medical training with an excellent international reputation. The hospital is located on four campuses, which together comprise more than 100 clinics and institutes. In the course of its 300-year history, the Charité has established a unique reputation and has been the home to eight Nobel Prize winners. For more information, visit http://www.charite.de.
Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions, including statements, expectations and assumptions about this new collaboration between PPD and the Charité’s CTMU, contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although PPD attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based and could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Other important factors that could cause future results to differ materially include the following: risks associated with and dependence on strategic relationships; the ability to attract, integrate, retain and train key personnel; competition in the outsourcing industry; PPD’s ability to win new business; overall global economic conditions; economic conditions, research and development spending, and outsourcing trends in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and government-sponsored research sectors; consolidation in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries; loss, delay or modification of large contracts; higher-than-expected cancellation rates; the rate of conversion of backlog into revenue; actual operating performance; rapid technological advances that make our services or capabilities less competitive; compliance with drug development regulations; changes in the regulation of the drug development process; risks associated with acquisitions and investments; and the ability to control SG&A spending. PPD assumes no obligation and expressly disclaims any duty to update these forward-looking statements in the future, except as required by applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing PPD’s estimates or views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.
