Merck KGaA, Quintiles sign 5-year clinical trial agreement

Merck Serono, a division of German's Merck KGaA, has announced a new five-year clinical development agreement with Quintiles. This strategic collaboration is the first-of-its-kind between a biopharma company and a biopharma services provider.

The objective of the new partnership is to speed up the delivery of new therapeutic options to patients with high unmet needs across Merck Serono's core research areas, which are neurology, oncology, immuno-oncology and immunology.

Under terms of the agreement, Merck Serono will shape and lead the strategy of its clinical development programs, while Quintiles will be responsible for the clinical trial planning and execution.

"By combining the strengths of Merck Serono and Quintiles, we are creating a new model in clinical development that will unlock the knowledge and insights of both companies. This is an innovative and unique collaboration that will help to translate the highest-quality science into efficiency and agility throughout our clinical trials, while enhancing our competitive position in an increasingly challenging environment of clinical drug development."

Annalisa Jenkins, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Development and Medical at Merck Serono.

The agreement will encapsulate the full spectrum of clinical development, from phase 1 clinical trials through to post-marketing approvals. Moving forward, Quintiles will be the sole primary provider of Merck Serono's outsourced clinical development services for its global clinical programs.

To find out more about Merck Serono and its parent company, take a look at "A history of Merck KGaA".