Quintiles to expand clinical development capabilities in Russia

Biopharmaceutical services company Quintiles is moving further into emerging markets, last week signing a definitive agreement with Russian Venture Company Biofund, to support expansion of clinical development services within the Russian Federation, the world’s ninth most populous country.

“With a population of almost 140 million, Russia is under-represented in terms of clinical development activity and over-represented in term of unmet medical needs,” said Ben Cons, global vice president, Quintiles corporate development, noting that “Quintiles’ goal is to address both of those issues in partnership with RVC Biofund, which has experience in starting businesses in Russia and capital to invest in the biopharma sector.”

Already this year, Quintiles has launched an Innovation Center of Excellence in China and extended its global footprint to provide commercial services in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region through an agreement with Dayarn Pharma, a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based company that specializes in biopharmaceutical sales, marketing and regulatory efforts needed to maximize brands in the Arab Gulf region. (The Pharma Letters January 18 and February 16).