Clinical Network Services (CNS), an Australian based clinical research organisation (CRO) has now acquired the business assets of its erstwhile New Zealand partner Beltas in Auckland. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition of Beltas’ business officially completed at the end of 2012 with Beltas contracts and all clinical staff transferring to CNS. The Auckland-based CRO will continue to provide good clinical practices (GCP) training in New Zealand. CNS offers integrated development services in the planning, implementation and delivery of phase I and II trials.

For CNS, 2012 has been a tremendous year and have grown significantly to expand our regional CRA base so we can better service local sites in Perth and Melbourne as well as further our BioDesk services. This acquisition continues our goal of widening our capabilities across Australia and New Zealand and by bringing together these two highly skilled clinical teams with years of collective experience we are able to offer our clients a truly regional solution, said Russell Neal, managing director of CNS

At the same time, CNS announced that its BioDesk service launched a year ago at the Genesis conference in London, had been a huge success and already gaining a positive international reputation. BioDesk is an intelligent product development planning and regulatory affairs service designed for biotech companies planning wishing to enter the clinic faster by virtue of creating and managing a pre-clinical programme that encompasses a globalised regulatory perspective whilst leveraging unique regional advantages, he added.

Mark Reid, associate director, BioDesk & Regulatory Affairs, CNS said, “There is an obvious need for biotechnology companies to obtain expert support in making the transition from ‘bench’ to the clinic and BioDesk aims to provide this capability – particularly for companies looking to trial their products in Australia or New Zealand.”