Data-driven policy and market access firm Avalere joins Fishawack Health
![[Image (From top left to bottom right): Avalere’s leadership team, including Kelly Brantley, Policy Practice Director; Sarah Alwardt, Healthcare Transformation Practice Director; Elizabeth Carpenter, President; Lance Grady, Market Access Practice Director; Miryam Frieder, Policy Practice Director; Rob Carter, Financial Services Practice Director.]](https://pharmaphorum.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pinehurst-PR-2.jpg)
June 7, 2022, Washington DC – Fishawack Health (FH) announces the acquisition of leading healthcare consulting and advisory firm Avalere Health (Avalere) from Inovalon, which acquired the consultancy in 2015.
FH is a leading global commercialization partner for biopharmaceutical, medical technology, and wellness companies. A healthcare consulting firm for more than 20 years, Avalere partners with leading life sciences companies, health plans, providers, and investors to bring innovative, data-driven solutions to complex healthcare challenges.
The move marks the largest expansion of FH to date and allows clients to benefit from integrated offerings spanning policy, access, value, and evidence. The addition of Avalere’s more than 200 advisors deepens FH’s US market presence and diversifies its customer base. “Avalere is renowned for helping clients identify business strategies that navigate the evolving healthcare landscape. From policy to market access and transformation, the team offers a 360-degree perspective that reflects the interconnected nature of the healthcare system,” said Jon Koch, CEO at FH. “Avalere complements Fishawack’s global footprint with a deep understanding of US markets and public policy, including key government and commercial stakeholders. We are excited to welcome Avalere to FH.”
The deal marks another turning point in FH’s journey. Starting out as a Medical Communications agency in 2001, the company has developed into a global, full-service commercialization and healthcare advisory partner with services focused on evidence generation and access strategy, medical communications, scientific marketing, and strategic healthcare consulting.
Its capabilities are best-in-class individually but unite in seamless, integrated offerings based on each client’s unique challenge. Its services are underpinned by deep expertise in data and analytics, including proprietary applications in health economics and market access, and analytics-driven digital marketing.
“We are delighted to welcome the Avalere team to FH. They have built an outstanding client reputation. Combining our skills and experiences across HEOR, market access, and policy will allow us to partner with clients to provide a deeper set of integrated capabilities not offered by other firms,” says David Sykes, President of Policy, Access, Value, and Evidence at FH.
A technology-enabled partnership
FH and its principal investor, Bridgepoint, acquired Avalere from Inovalon, a leading provider of cloud-based platforms that empower data-driven healthcare. The divestiture will allow both Inovalon and Avalere to focus on their respective missions and goals.
“This transaction will drive increased focus by both Inovalon and Avalere on our respective core differentiators,” said Dr Keith Dunleavy, CEO of Inovalon. “At Inovalon, this focus is on providing the industry’s most advanced platform of cloud-based SaaS solutions empowering data-driven healthcare.”
Avalere will maintain access to Inovalon’s data resources, including the MORE2 Registry and 100% sample of Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) dataset. The MORE2 Registry is comprised of data on more than 1 million physicians, almost 600,000 clinical facilities, 348 million unique patients, and 68 billion medical events.
Avalere’s Health Economics and Advanced Analytics practice will remain within Inovalon as the Data Solutions segment of Inovalon Insights Business Unit and continue to focus on analytics leveraging Inovalon’s proprietary data assets.
An exciting, shared future for employees, clients, and customers
“Avalere is excited to join FH and combine our deep understanding of the US market with a truly global perspective,” says Elizabeth Carpenter, President at Avalere. “We look forward to collaborating and innovating with our new colleagues and offering our clients a broader set of integrated services.”
About Fishawack Health
Fishawack Health (FH) is a leading global commercialization partner for the biopharmaceutical, medical technology, and wellness industries. The future of health is fast-paced and complex, demanding a different approach. Established in 2001, our 1300+ healthcare experts combine their knowledge and expertise across our four core disciplines—Medical; Marketing; Policy, Access, Value, Evidence; and Consulting.
Working across the product and service lifecycle, from R&D to post-launch, we engage our collective force to solve the complex healthcare challenges of today and tomorrow. We imagine a healthier world and build the connections to make it happen. Visit us at www.fishawack.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Avalere
In an environment that demands a 360-degree perspective, Avalere Health brings innovative, data-driven solutions to complex healthcare challenges. Avalere is a healthcare consulting firm that operates at the intersection of policy, access, and transformation. We rely on expansive, proprietary data to derive insights and imagine what does not yet exist.
Our customers span the healthcare continuum including the top 25 life sciences companies, leading health plans, top healthcare providers, and healthcare investors. Knowing the customers we work with are people first, we join them in their drive to make a difference in healthcare. Inspired by our customers, empowered by data, and propelled by our inclusive culture, we are the essential voice improving healthcare. Visit us at www.avalere.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Inovalon
Inovalon is a leading provider of cloud-based solutions empowering data-driven healthcare. The Inovalon ONE® Platform brings together national-scale connectivity, real-time primary source data access, and advanced analytics into a sophisticated cloud-based platform empowering improved clinical outcomes and economics across the healthcare ecosystem. The company’s analytics and capabilities are used by more than 20,000 customers and are informed by the primary source data of more than 68 billion medical events across 1 million physicians, almost 600,000 clinical settings, and 348 million unique patients. For more information, visit www.inovalon.com.
Fishawack Health contact
Natasha Cowan
Corporate Communications Manager
Marita Gomez
Media Relations
Avalere contact
Elizabeth Carpenter
President
Claire Anderson
Media Relations
Claire.anderson@finnpartners.com
Inovalon contact
Whitney Swistock
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Advisers involved in this transaction included:
Houlihan Lokey acted on behalf of Fishawack Health as lead financial advisor; KPMG provided financial and tax due diligence support; LEK provided commercial diligence advice; Alvarez & Marsal advised on separation and operational diligence; Sheppard Mullin provided legal support; Allen & Overy provided legal advice; and EY advised on tax structuring.
Clearsight Advisors served as the exclusive financial advisor to Inovalon in connection with this transaction. Rimon Law served as the exclusive legal advisor to Inovalon in connection with this transaction.
