U.S. Sites Rate Kendle, Covance, Omnicare as Top CROs in 2007

The CenterWatch 2007 Survey of Investigative Sites in the U.S. finds that sites have rated Kendle as the top CRO to work with. It is the first time that Kendle has been rated number one. Being organized and prepared for a study was the attribute rated most important for CRO performance with more than 86% of sites listing it as of the highest importance. Three other attributes had more than four out of five sites giving them highest ratings for importance: responsiveness to inquiries, CRAs/managers being knowledgeable and maintaining open communications.

Beyond Study Brokers

During the past five years, the study broker space has changed as new companies have entered the market and a variety of business models have emerged. And many organizations that perform study brokering have added services, changed the direction of their businesses and grown. The emergence of alliances and small site networks has also been a trend. In this model, independent sites band together and hire a full-time business development person to conduct marketing and business development duties on their behalf. Some of these alliances or networks focus a particular therapeutic area, while others represent multi-specialty investigative sites.

European CRO Federation Has Ambitious Plans

The European Contract Research Organization Federation (EUCROF) was formally established 18 months ago, and it has ambitious plans that members have wasted no time embarking on.

Eye On: Obesity

Obesity, defined as body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30, is currently the leading nutritional disorder in the Western world. According to a European study by the World Health Organization, more than 70% of men and nearly 70% of women 55 to 64 years of age are clinically obese or overweight. CenterWatch has identified a pipeline of 19 drugs in various phases of development for obesity.

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