Singapore: McCann Healthcare Worldwide Japan (MHWWJ, a division of McCann Healthcare Worldwide, McCann Worldgroup and Interpublic Group, has created MDS-CMG, the new Japanese healthcare communications leader in scientific content across all therapeutic areas. This new business entity has been formed through the acquisition of a 51 percent interest in MDS.

Mr Kazuko Oneda, who was running MDS, will continue as president of MDS-CMG. He will report to Amar Urhekar, president of MHWWJ. "This is an exciting and validating moment. For some time, we have been working to elevate our scientific offering by several orders of magnitude. Combining MDS and CMG Japan gives us the best scientific offering in Japan," said Mr Urhekar.

Ms Oneda said, "Scientific understanding amid constant content expansion is our passion. By combining our strengths, we have become a powerhouse with an offering that is unparalleled locally."

Under Mr Urhekar, MHWWJ has been on a mission to redefine healthcare communications in Japan. In the last year, MHWWJ won Campaign Asia's Specialist Agency of the Year for the fourth straight year; its second Grand Global Award; a first-ever Digital Gold at the 2011 Spikes Asia Advertising Festival; and a Gold CLIO Healthcare Award, among others. This merger further solidifies MHWWJ's leadership status across all phases of healthcare communications.

Mr Charlie Buckwell, MHWW's global head of its Complete Medical Group Worldwide unit, said, "This very significant advance to our worldwide offering ensures that we will be providing highly differentiated, 'best in class' medical communications expertise and services to the important Japanese market."

MDS has been part of the CMIC Holdings, which consists of 17 companies that together offer comprehensive services related to all the processes of a pharmaceuticals company, from research and development to manufacture and sale.

John Cahill, Global CEO of McCann Healthcare Worldwide, commented, "MDS' staff of 53 scientists has an outstanding track record as a company that fully understands the effective communication of science and medicine. This will greatly strengthen our CMG offering in Japan.  We see this major acquisition for MHWWJ as the beginning of a new era of synergy and cooperation between CMIC and McCann Healthcare Worldwide. Like MHWW, CMIC brings an integrated portfolio of solutions to its clients across their products' lifecycles. The possibilities for future partnerships and collaboration between MHWW and CMIC are endless."