Covance sets up in Seoul and Mumbai
The firm explained that the South Korean unit in the capital Seoul will act as a key support hub for its network of clinical research associates (CRA) across the Asia-Pacific region, with the new Mumbai office providing the same service in India.
Covance’s move into the Asia-Pacific market began nearly 20 years ago with offices in Australia and Singapore. More recently the contract research organisation (CRO) established units in Shanghai and Beijing in China.
Nick Wright, general manager of Covance’s operations in the region, "Our new Asia-Pacific offices support our global expansion strategy, which targets the most qualified investigators and appropriate patient populations in a region that is increasingly important to clinical trials."
He went on to say that "These offices will help us increase our clients' Phase II/III clinical trial productivity by providing additional capacity to execute clinical studies with a full range of services."
The firm has also expanded existing units in Hong Kong and in Tokyo, Japan to try and capture a share of the region’s rapidly expanding clinical trials market.
The Tokyo facility will also offer additional central laboratory services, assay kit customization services as well as sales and administration support as a result of the expansion.
Company clinical development services president Rick Cimino explained that the new offices, which increase the number of countries in which the firm operates to 55, are part of a concerted customer support and growth strategy.
"To enable us to meet this commitment and provide more effective clinical trial solutions, we have significantly expanded our presence in emerging markets in 2009 by opening nine new offices in Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Eastern Europe."
