Brazil is critical base for PPD's CROs efforts

ClinPage recently featured some of the CROs that are dominant in the Brazil market. With over 300 employees in the region and at any given time 150 trials running, PPD, a Wilmington, North Carolina-basd company, dominates the region. They entered Brazil in 1995 when they bought Q&Q Suporte a Pesquisa Clinica, the first established CRO in Brazil. From there, PPD grew organically and spread through other countries in Latin America such as Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Peru.

For more on PPD, read the article here.

Raleigh/Durham seeing CROs move in

According to The News and Observer in Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina, CROs are moving into the area quickly. Quintiles Transnational is currently building their new headquarters in Durham, and seeing an increasing amount of new contracts due to more drug companies outsourcing their research and drug testing. Companies are also shifting responsibility to CROs because they are able to cut costs, shift risk and meet stricter regulations that are being enforced. The article here credits the big drug companies wanting to stay ahead of the generic medicines competition.

All of the growth comes with an increased need in staffed professionals. The article states that within two years, it’s not uncommon for salaries of those working with clinical trials to be around $60,000. As a result, the companies have to move to where the people are. PRA International moved from Virginia to Raleigh and hire 500 more people. Array Biopharma moved to Morrisville, NC in February to test cancer drugs.