Quintiles Transnational Corp. has entered a three-year partnership with Roche for clinical study management services recently.

The two companies have signed a three-year preferred provider agreement, which will give Roche more flexibility and efficiency in the development of its product pipeline. Analysts regard the Roche pipeline as among the best in the pharmaceutical industry, with medications for diabetes, hepatitis, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer among those in development, a Quintiles release said.

G. Stephen DeCherney, MPH, president, Clinical Development Services Americas for Quintiles says, "The partnership will enable Quintiles and Roche to make more efficient use of Quintiles' therapeutic expertise and global resources."

"By selecting Quintiles as a partner to manage clinical studies, we are well positioned to successfully handle a substantial increase for new studies in many therapeutic areas," said Dan Zabrowski, Vice President and Global Head of Pharma Development Operations for Roche.

Quintiles and Roche have established committees at various levels to assure the success of the partnership and the development programs conducted under the agreement. Each of the three committees has equal representation from Roche and Quintiles, release added.

Quintiles provides a broad range of professional services, information and partnering solutions to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare industries. Headquartered near Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, Quintiles has offices in 50 countries and is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical services organizations.