Chiltern Expands Service Offerings With Ockham Acquisition

By Ed Miseta, Chief Editor, Clinical Leader

Chiltern, a global CRO with 2,100 employees in more than 40 countries, has expanded its service portfolio with the acquisition of Ockham. Ockham, headquartered in Cary, NC, has expertise in oncology and sourcing and also has multiple locations in Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia.

The new Chiltern with feature a management team comprised of executives from both Chiltern and Ockham. In keeping both management teams onboard, the company expects a smooth and seamless continuation of the services customers are currently receiving. Chiltern’s CEO Dr. Jim Esinhart will become CEO of the Chiltern Group, with Ockham CEO James V. Baker becoming Chief Development Officer and Nick Thornton remaining as Chairman.

Dr. Jim Esinhart, CEO, Chiltern

Chiltern has identified three key areas that will be strengthened by the acquisition. Clients in all of these areas are expected to benefit from the fuller range of services and the enhanced global network of employees and expertise. The first is Oncology, where Ockham has expertise across all clinical phases of development. The second is biopharmaceutical services, where the new company will gain both increased global reach and scale in respiratory, ophthalmology, infectious disease, vaccines, and dermatology. The final area is global FSP/sourcing provision specializing in tailored resourcing solutions across clinical, regulatory, medical, and biometrics.

“This merger is a natural progression towards our strategic goal of becoming the premier specialized mid-tier CRO,” says Esinhart. “Throughout this process I have been extremely impressed by the skill and professionalism of Ockham’s employees, the quality services they deliver, and the vision of the leadership team. There is a perfect strategic fit between our companies and I’m excited to work with the entire Ockham team to ensure a seamless continuation in the delivery of high quality services to all of the combined company’s clients.”

Esinhart’s sentiments were echoed by Baker, who noted “In Ockham’s continuing progression toward building the top niche oncology CRO, our joining with Chiltern has been an easy choice, allowing us to leverage Chiltern’s global reach and highly developed staffing business in Europe, both of which are complementary to Ockham’s deep oncology expertise and source business in the US. We are fortunate to have found the ideal partner with a complete understanding and commitment to the unique needs of our emerging biotech clientele.”

Going forward, approximately 50% of business for the new Chiltern will be in oncology services with 10 physicians and approximately 70 project managers dedicated to oncology. On the flip side, 550 staff members will fall under the sourcing arm, making Chiltern one of the largest global providers of biostatistics and statistical programming services in the industry.

Chiltern, established in 1982, offers specialized services in a range of therapeutic areas, including oncology. Ockham personnel have conducted more than 250 oncology trials since its founding in 1986. The company has grown with the acquisition of a U.S.-based oncology CRO in 2009 and the acquisition of Scotland-based Nexus Oncology three years later.