Simirex Acquisition To Keep Quintiles Projects On Track

Quintiles Transnational Corp. has acquired Simirex Inc. and Simirex International Ltd. in exchange for Quintiles stock in a pooling of interests transaction. Simirex provides clinical packaging services for the pharmaceutical industry, including primary packaging in bottles and blister packs, blister card design, label design and printing, encapsulation, management of controlled substances, storage and inventory management, shipping and drug returns.

Quintiles Transnational intends to integrate Simirex into its CRO Services Group as a specialty business unit. Dr. Peter Bernardo will continue to lead Simirex as chief operating officer.

"The acquisition of Simirex significantly expands our U.S. clinical trials packaging capability and complements our facilities in Europe for global clinical trials," said Jim Ogle, COO, Quintiles CRO. "Lack of availability of a drug is a common reason for the delay of the start of a clinical trial. By having the capabilities to package clinical trial materials in the U.S., Quintiles can better control the availability of drugs and keep customers' projects on track," he said.

For more information: Pat Grebe, media relations, Quintiles Transnational Corp., P.O. Box 13979, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3979. Telephone: 919-941-2000.