ICRI Research (P) Ltd. (IRL), an associate of ICRI, has entered into a strategic alliance with Synexus Clinical Research, one of the largest patient recruitment organisations in Europe.

Through this collaboration, IRL-Synexus will establish India's first patient recruitment Site Management Organisation (SMO) with investigator sites to undertake Phase II-Phase IV global clinical trials.

IRL-Synexus will offer a chain of exclusive, fully-owned GCP-compliant investigator sites across India, for fast and effective patient recruitment and to deliver reliable, high quality data on schedule. The clinical research centres will be equipped with GCP trained research staff consisting of qualified doctors, nurses, data co-ordinators and administrators, informs a company release.

"India possesses tremendous potential to become a preferred location for research and development for the global biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector. According to the McKinsey report, the global clinical trial outsourcing opportunity in India in the pharmaceutical industry is estimated to be Rs 5,000 crore by the year 2010 and there will be a recruitment of approximately 50,000 clinical research professionals. Our association with Synexus will certainly help us tap ever-growing global market," said Shivram Dugal, chairman, IRL.

Dr. Ian Smith, managing director, Synexus, said, "It is a privilege for Synexus to have the opportunity to join hand with IRL. IRL's expertise, proficiency and training perfectly blend with our systematic and effective approach. Thus with our combined synergies IRL-Synexus is definitely a force to reckon with."

IRL-Synexus will work in all therapeutic areas where OPD-based studies can be undertaken. The collaboration will source patients through internationally accepted recruitment methods.

Synexus Clinical research plc undertakes clinical trial services for the global pharmaceutical industry, managing patients on clinical trials on behalf of pharmaceutical companies and contract research oragnisations.