Velocity Clinical Research begins European expansion with German site acquisition

Velocity Clinical Research begins European expansion with German site acquisition 

• Acquisition pipeline reveals further German and UK deals
• Biopharma and CROs to benefit from simplified access to global research sites

Durham N.C.: Velocity Clinical Research (“Velocity”), the leading integrated research site organisation, today announces it has acquired its first European site, Clinical Research Hamburg, in Germany for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition is the first in a series of deals lined up across the UK and Germany, as the company grows its network of integrated clinical research sites globally. 

Velocity is the first US-based clinical research sites business to expand into Europe, bringing its total number of integrated locations to 32. Velocity has a pipeline of deals to significantly expand its European network of sites by the end of 2022.

Dominic Clavell, Executive Vice President, Europe, said, “The US pharma sales market may be twice the size of Europe’s but the latter contributes a similar percentage of patients to global trials each year. For any clinical trials business, developing an EU presence is paramount to its success. 

“Velocity Clinical Research is breaking new ground for the clinical research industry. Never before has a US sites business scaled to expand into Europe. Where US companies have previously struggled to navigate the complex regulatory landscape and cultural differences in Europe, we understand them. 

“This is the first time that research sites have truly integrated across America and Europe, with a common tech stack and centralised management team, which gives CROs and pharmaceutical companies simplified access to international research.”

Velocity’s sites are wholly owned and fully integrated via a centralised infrastructure and common technology backbone, allowing for superior patient enrolment and consistent, high-quality data delivery. As a result, Clinical Research Organizations and big pharmaceutical companies can benefit from simplified access to international clinical research. 

Dr. Christine Grigat, Managing Director, Clinical Research Hamburg, commented, “Clinical Research Hamburg is known for being a high quality and successful dedicated research site. We are delighted to be the first European site to integrate with the Velocity group, establishing its bricks and mortar presence in Germany.” 

Rene Martz, co-owner of Clinical Research Hamburg, added, “The fit was right. Clinical Research Hamburg’s focus on providing access to patients with high quality research is mirrored in Velocity”. 

In 2009, Dr. Christine Grigat and René Martz became co-owners of Clinical Research Hamburg to significantly grow its reach in terms of patients recruited to phase II-IV research and clients served across biopharma and CROs. By integrating to Velocity Clinical Research the site will expand therapeutic areas to include pain management, allergology, smoking cessation and hypertension.

Dr Paul Evans, Chief Executive and President of Velocity, added, “This is just the beginning. Velocity has ambitious plans to establish itself as a global player, making more clinical research succeed. The focus now is on site integration rather than affiliation, allowing for greater predictability and more efficient data collection and delivery.”