Merck Serono and Quintiles enter novel clinical development partnership

Merck Serono, the biotech division of Germany’s Merck KGaA (MRK: DE) and Quintiles (NYSE: Q) have announced a new, five-year clinical development agreement. This strategic collaboration is the first-of-its-kind between a biopharmaceutical company and a biopharmaceutical services provider, creating a comprehensive process that integrates the expertise and experience from both organizations into a single, well-aligned clinical development engine, the German firm says. Financial terms of the accord were not revealed.

In a novel approach to clinical development that is founded on a shared commitment to cost-disciplined science, the collaboration is intended to optimize productivity in the design and execution of studies with a focus on quality, speed and efficiency. The objective is to expedite the delivery of new therapeutic options to patients with high medical need across Merck Serono’s core research areas of neurology, oncology, immuno-oncology and immunology.

Under this agreement, Merck Serono will shape and lead the strategy of its clinical development programs, with Quintiles directing clinical trial planning and execution. Quintiles will also be a key contributor to Merck Serono’s future clinical trial design activities. In this capacity, Quintiles will focus on delivering superior performance based on optimized clinical trial design and execution strategies, using highly efficient processes and proven technologies. To fully leverage the expertise of both organizations, leaders from Quintiles will collaborate in strategic decision-making processes affecting the development of the Merck Serono portfolio.

New model in clinical development