Singapore: Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD) and Japan based Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories (SNBL) have formed a joint venture to provide clinical development services in Japan.

With the completion of the deal, SNBL's clinical research division and PPD's clinical development operations in Japan would provide services including Phase I-IV clinical trial monitoring, project management, biostatistics, site intelligence and activation, data management, medical writing, pharmacovigilance and regulatory services.

With offices in Tokyo, Osaka and Kagoshima, and approximately 400 clinical development professionals, the new company brings together PPD's global resources and clinical trial expertise with SNBL's nearly 20-year history and in-depth knowledge of providing clinical development services for biopharmaceutical companies in Japan.

PPD and SNBL also agreed to collaborate in a number of areas outside the clinical development joint venture. Those areas comprise SNBL's early stage businesses (including translational research out-licensing business), Phase I services in the United States for Japanese bridging studies, specialized neuroscience studies, vaccines studies and biologic studies, Phase I services in Japan, Japanese bioanalysis services and site management services in Japan.

"PPD-SNBL provides biopharmaceutical clients the best of both worlds for their research programs involving Japan: PPD's global capabilities, systems and processes combined with SNBL's depth of clinical knowledge and scope in Japan," said Mr Paul Colvin, executive vice president-clinical development, PPD and chairman and chief executive officer, PPD-SNBL. "The joint venture positions PPD at the forefront of the CRO industry in Japan and creates a compelling offering for our clients."

Mr Ryoichi Nagata, chairman and president, SNBL and president, PPD-SNBL, said the joint venture reflects the corporate cultures of both PPD and SNBL, which share a focus on quality delivery and customer service.

"PPD-SNBL offers clients a unique opportunity to leverage our combined deep clinical research expertise in Japan and global clinical trial experience and infrastructure," he said.

PPD-SNBL is majority-owned by PPD. The transaction closed on 1 April.