Venn Life Sciences, a multinational clinical research organization announced on October 21, 2010 that it had acquired French clinical research organization DCI.

Venn Life Sciences is an international clinical research organization with offices in Europe, North America, Central America and Australia. The company offers Phase I-IV clinical trial management services in a broad range of therapeutic areas with core capabilities in Oncology, Cardiology, Neurology and Medical Devices.

DCI, a Paris-based CRO, was founded by Dr. Frédérique Cabrières in 1989 and offers two types of specialized services to clients: clinical trial management services for Phase I-IV and contract placement solutions for clinical research projects. DCI bring quality and value to client’s clinical trial programs by offering flexibility of services coupled with extensive knowledge of the French clinical trial industry. With over 20 years’ experience, DCI counts some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies among its clients.

“It is an exciting day for Venn” said Tony Richardson, Venn’s CEO. “We are constantly seeking to improve what we offer to our sponsors both in geographic reach and scale of services. This addition to our group extends our operations throughout Europe, enhancing an already extensive breadth of expertise in therapeutic indications and clinical trial management services.”

The acquisition is a key milestone for Venn in its objective to become a leading international player, offering sponsors increased access to principal investigators and patient pools worldwide. A major focus area for Venn is local on-the-ground regulatory knowledge, especially in Europe which has long been a complex area for drug development organizations.

“The pace of growth at Venn sees us joining a company at a very exciting time and being part of Venn will enable us to better leverage our expertise offering our local clients access to international sites and personnel with worldwide experience of clinical trial management,” said Frédérique Cabrières, founder of DCI. “Both company’s business ethic is focused on a commitment to excellence and quality and this can only be reinforced by the coming together of the two organizations.”