Optimapharm, Region’s Leading CRO, Acquires Czech MKS Research

Zagreb, Croatia, January 11, 2018-Following the global trend of consolidating market positions of clinical research organizations (CROs), Optimapharm, the leading CRO in SEE, acquired the Czech CRO company MKS Research.

By acquiring MKS Research, Optimapharm will enter the Czech market, and further strengthen its portfolio of clients in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries and its market position in Central Europe. This acquisition  is in line with Optimapharm’s medium-term strategic objective of becoming the largest independent CRO in CEE, with business operations across Europe and the U.S.

“The clinical research market is experiencing a continued growth and we have the knowhow, references and strong financial position enabling us to lead the consolidation in the region. Moreover, our ambition is to double our revenues over the next three years, and continue acquiring good-quality companies such as MKS Research,” Optimapharm CEO Gordana Gregurić Čičak said.

By consolidating MKS Research, Optimapharm will have a total of 120 full-time employees and annual revenues over EUR 12 million. Optimapharm is headquartered in Zagreb, Croatia, and has offices in more than ten European countries. It covers markets with over 200 million people and has the expertise to conduct phase I – IV clinical research across Europe and through partners in the U.S.

“We are becoming a part of a much larger company with structured operational support. This means that we will be better able to focus on projects and growth in the Czech and Slovak markets, while our employees will have more  opportunities to develop their careers within an international group and work on more complex projects,” MKS Research executive director Veronika Sebkova stated.

The value of the global clinical research market has been growing in the last several years at annual rates of more than 10 percent. In 2016, it reached USD 31.4 billion. It is expected to reach USD 49.26 billion in the 2017 – 2021 period (New Market Research Report, December 2017). The biggest market is the U.S., accounting for 40 percent of the global market, with Europe being the second biggest one.

ABOUT OPTIMAPHARM

Optimapharm is the leading  independent clinical research organization in Southeast Europe. It was founded in 2005 in Zagreb, and has since built up a professional multidisciplinary team with expertise in clinical research in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries. More than 60 percent of employees have more than six years of experience in relevant clinical research, while more than a third of all employees are doctors in various fields of medicine and life sciences.

Optimapharm has taken part in many international clinical programs that resulted in commercialization of new drugs in the segments of oncology, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, pulmonology, psychiatry and neurology. Optimapharm has a strong track record in conducting pediatric clinical trials in various indications.  The company has the most expertise in clinical research in the field of oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

For more information, visit www.optimapharm.eu