ERT moves into trial management software with eClinical Insights acquisition

11-Nov-2014 - Last updated on 11-Nov-2014 at 15:50 GMT

Patient safety and efficacy endpoint data collector ERT has acquired eClinical Insights (eCI), a provider of cloud-based clinical trials management software, for an undisclosed sum.

“ERT and eClinical Insights share a common vision of changing the paradigm of clinical research technology,” states Jim Corrigan, President and CEO of ERT. “For over 40 years, ERT's combined platforms have been used by global pharmaceutical companies to improve clinical trial study design, data analysis and trial execution. We are excited to extend our proven eClinical offering through the introduction of eCI’s innovative cloud based software platform, which enables our customers to integrate data from multiple systems, get full visibility across the key aspects of their trials, and benefit from real-time decision making.”

ERT and eCI say their shared goal is to empower clinical trial sponsors and CROs with real-time insight into performance, risk, and outcomes trending, enabling them to achieve their goals of decreasing clinical trial costs while increasing trial quality.

The acquisition further strengthens ERT’s position in clinical research by offering a software solution that simplifies data collection, analytics, visibility and exchange in a complex global environment.

Scott Dixon, VP of marketing and strategy at ERT, told Outsourcing-Pharma.com that there will not be any layoffs associated with the acquisition. "It’s going to help us grow further and it will offer us some scalability," he said.

On average, clinical trial sponsors utilize between 5-7 systems for data collection from disparate vendors. ERT and eClinical Insights are looking to cut that number by extending ERT’s EXPERT platform with eCI’s product suite. Trial sponsors and CROs will benefit from the rapid deployment of a data integration layer that enables real-time data exchange between systems, the companies say.

The end result will offer CROs and researchers new insight into investigative site and outcomes data activity, risk-based management, enhanced performance measurement, and informed real-time decision-making through a single interface.

“By joining ERT’s leading technical and clinical experts, eCI will be able to fulfill its mission of helping research organizations leverage the power of trial data to optimize their business processes,” said Peg Regan, Founder and CEO of eClinical Insights. “We recognize that technology alone cannot solve the complex challenges of clinical research. The combined experience of ERT and eCI ensures our customers are not simply buying technology, but are gaining a partner with the domain expertise needed to help them succeed.”