Encorium Group has been awarded a $1.2m (€0.9m) contract to run Phase I clinical trials of an experimental bird flu vaccine for a new client.

"This contract is in support of an innovative approach to the development of a vaccine for the prevention of multiple types of influenza including seasonal and pandemic avian Flu," said the firm, however, it gave no details of the "innovative approach", nor the identity of the client.

Specific services include consulting on clinical trial design and protocol development, project and study site management and monitoring, data management, and biostatistical support.

Meanwhile, INC Research has just opened a new office in Zurich, Switzerland.

The US-based contract research organisation (CRO) said the Zurich site will "serve as an additional base of clinical operations in Europe and allow for substantial future expansion in the region going forward."

The new location will also focus particularly on the company's oncology, infectious disease and pediatrics business units.

INC has been going through a period of expansion over the past year, moving into new US headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, and also broadening its late phase contract research capabilities with the purchase of a CRO in Philadelphia, bringing its sites in the US to a total of five.

The growing company has also recently opened new offices in France, Russia and the Ukraine.