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WIL Research, ASG Complete CRO AcquisitionsCW Weekly Two more clinical trial companies completed acquisitions this month, suggesting that consolidation through acquisition may be the industry trend for 2009. Contract research organization (CRO) WIL Research Laboratories and its parent company WIL Research Holding Company acquired Midwest BioResearch, a CRO focused on drug disposition and toxicology. Neither company provided details of the deal. Midwest BioResearch president and founder Michael Schlosser, Ph.D will continue to lead Midwest BioResearch's Skokie, Ill., office under the management of WIL Research vice president and chief scientific officer Christopher Chengelis, Ph.D. WIL Research, a CRO specializing in toxicology services, hopes to benefit from Midwest BioResearch's expertise in immunoanalytical and bioassay techniques and small molecule bioanalysis. "Midwest BioResearch rounds out our service offerings, particularly in the areas of genetic toxicity and biotech and clinical support capabilities," Chengelis said in a company statement. "We also benefit from a world-class staff with significant pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry experience and the addition of a program services consulting group." WIL Research Founded in 1976, WIL Research Laboratories was acquired by WIL Research Holding Company in 2004 through a management buyout. Today with the addition of Midwest BioResearch, WIL Research Holding Company consists of five companies with approximately 1,100 employees. WIL Research Laboratories' 2008 revenues were 35.2 million, according to Dun and Bradstreet, which estimates the company has 550 employees. Financial information for Midwest BioResearch was not available. Cary, N.C-based ADG, a specialty staffing provider for CROs and Big Pharma, acquired CRO and contract drug development company Ockham Development Group, also located in Cary, N.C, in an all-stock merger agreement. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ockham started as InGenium Research—spin-off of ASG—in 1999, but became Ockham Development Group in 2005. The combined company is expected to generate about $30 million in annual revenue. "We were actively looking for opportunities to add more value and increase the range of services we can currently offer to our clients," said ASG president and CEO James Baker in a company statement. "We are excited to be able to add this unique clinical research organization and its full development lifecycle consulting services to our existing services. The addition of Ockham team and their services will absolutely accelerate the ASG strategy to be the company of choice when choosing to outsource or augment with staff a clinic trail." Before the acquisition, Ockham employed 65 people, with regional offices in King of Prussia, Pa.; Wilmington, N.C.; and San Diego, Calif. ASG has 175 employees worldwide. The deal will result in some job cuts but will also create jobs, Baker told local media. "It is a special situation when you can combine with a stable industry leader like ASG and quickly build more market value," said Ockham CEO Josh Baker (no relation to the ASG president and CEO). "The ASG platform will enable Ockham to scale its operations and extend its client reach into a true global presence."
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