Pharmaceutical contract services round-up

Contract staffing firm Kenexa​ has been reappointed to provide such services to Quintiles​ Japan, headquartered in Tokyo. The two firms have already been working together for the past three years. Under the terms of the three-year agreement, "Quintiles Japan will use Kenexa's employment process outsourcing (EPO) solutions to help recruit, manage and retain manage their clinical, pharma and biotech staff in Japan, where it is notoriously difficult to do so." ​ Recently US technology services provider Atos Origin​ has inked a deal with US contract manufacturer Catalent Pharma Solutions​ to provide it with data center services around the world. Under the five-year contract Atos will provide functions such as help desk support and email, server and security administration. No financial details were disclosed. Meanwhile Catalent has also just announced the signing of a collaboration agreement with Secure Symbology​ (SSI), allowing Catalent exclusive rights to use SSI's anti-counterfeiting, track and trace barcode technology in its contract manufacturing operations. In other related news, IT services provider Patni Computer Systems​ has bought life sciences services firm Taratec​ for $27m (€20m). Taratec provides the industry with business, IT and regulatory compliance products and services and Patni said the acquisition "is in line with its strategy of enhancing its market specific services and providing additional capability to support the growing and diverse requirements of the life sciences market, from pharmacovigilance to supply chains". ​ The firm said it can now "offer a global delivery model that provides end-to-end capabilities". ​ Meanwhile, joining with Patni will allow US-based Taratec to bring its services onto the global stage. According to Taratec CEO Mark Kolb, the life sciences market is going through a dramatic change and "Patni's ability to support a wide variety of engagement models with a broad service portfolio will enable us to meet these needs".​