Emmes predicts demand for COVID-19 related trials and development work will continue as industry seeks to develop treatments for emerging viral variants.
Rockville, Maryland based Emmes used to do most of its work with the US Government and research institutes including the National cancer institute, National Marrow Donor Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institutes of Health among others.
But, while these projects continue, in recent years the clinical research organization (CRO) has won more business from the biotech sector says Lynn Lewis, Chief Business Officer at Emmes.
“We have had a very good few years with strong growth across all areas, and increasingly we are also now becoming well known among the biotech community in the United States.”
And this process has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“In terms of the pandemic itself we have understandably been in high demand for clinical trials in the last two years - around 25% of work - as we have a long pedigree in both vaccines and infectious disease.
“Looking ahead with new COVID variants, many promising targets and long COVID studies we will continue to see a good proportion of work delivered through COVID studies” Lewis says.
Expansion
To service this demand Emmes has expanded capacity and reach. In May it acquired UK-based Orphan Reach, a UK-based rare disease focused CRO that has management teams in Europe, Asia and the US.
|Work to integrate Orphan Reach into the wider Emmes organisation is progressing well according to Lewis.
“What we’ve already found is that there are a number of natural synergies, such as bringing in specialist biostatistics and data management services, but also in areas like ophthalmology where there are a number of rare disease targets and Emmes has a great deal of experience in this indication.
“We anticipate increased demand from US and European biotechs and smaller pharma companies where they are looking for a truly specialized rare disease CRO that can offer a bespoke approach to clinical trials design and execution.”
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