Emmes has reorganized its operations and expanded its executive team citing growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and other innovative technologies in clinical trials.
The US contract research organization (CRO) set up the “Emmes Group” last week and named Sastry Chilukuri as its executive chairman and chief executive officer.
Within the new group, there will be Emmes’ clinical research business – led by Peter Ronco – as well as an organization called Veridix AI, the newly launched technology and AI group, which will be led by Rama Kondru.
Veridix AI will focus on using artificial intelligence-based technology to optimize clinical research according to Chilukuri, who spoke about the new group at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference last week.
“Our new Veridix AI business unit will embed technology and generative AI into all aspects of clinical trials. Emmes is a full-service CRO with more than 1,600 employees, supporting clinical research in over 70 countries.”
“AI is now helping us learn the language of biology to rapidly generate disease insights and advance new treatments,” Chilukuri continued.
“Our proprietary Clinical Generative AI platform, will help us build the clinical research infrastructure needed to bring these treatments to patients faster with high quality.”
This was echoed by Kondru, who said: “Witnessing the exponential surge in data and the maturation of AI, it’s clear these forces are being intricately woven into the fabric of diverse industries.
He added, “Emmes stands as a life sciences trailblazer, firmly embracing AI in a way unparalleled by other CROs. Our pioneering solutions and services are poised to address unmet medical needs and redefine the trajectory of the industry.”
Emmes also appointed Matthew Holt, managing director and president, private equity, of New Mountain Capital, to its board of directors.
New York-based private equity group New Mountain Capital has backed Emmes since 2022 when it acquired the ownership interest of Behrman Capital, the majority investor in Emmes since March 2019.
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