Mergers and Acquisitions, Service Advancement... Industry Shake-up in 'Clinical Data Solutions'

Prospects for Full-Scale Decentralized Clinical Trials
CRSCube Absorbs CRO
J&P Medi Adopts 'Vertical' Strategy

As cutting-edge clinical trials known as 'decentralized clinical trials' gain attention, changes are also being observed in the domestic clinical data management solution industry.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] A significant shift is occurring in the domestic clinical data management solution industry, which leads the cutting-edge field of the pharmaceutical and bio industry known as 'Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCT).' Solution companies are expanding their scale by merging with Contract Research Organizations (CROs) while enhancing technology sophistication and service quality to increase their value.

According to industry sources on the 30th, clinical solution company CRS Cube recently signed a merger agreement with the CRO BDMC Consulting. This merger will be an absorption-type merger where CRS Cube absorbs BDMC Consulting, with the merger date set for April 3. Established in 2010, CRS Cube is one of the leaders in this field, having conducted over 4,000 clinical trial projects based on its proprietary clinical solution 'cubeCDMS.' BDMC Consulting is a CRO that performs clinical trial statistical analysis and consulting, data management, and electronic data capture (EDC) services.

The industry views this merger as a very unusual case, as it is the first instance of a solution company merging with a CRO. Once the merger is completed, CRS Cube is expected to expand its business scope into a total clinical company that integrates data solutions and statistical functions. An industry insider stated, "CRS Cube holds a high market share in the domestic clinical data management solution market," adding, "If they internalize CRO operations as well, significant changes and ripple effects are expected in the existing industry."

Another major player in the solution industry, J&P Medi, is focusing on strengthening its services. The company is making every effort to advance technology and collaborate with related domestic and international companies. J&P Medi provides clinical trial data collection and analysis services through 'Maven CDMS,' which has established itself as a cost-effective product with functional advantages compared to existing clinical solutions. It is concentrating on enhancing service competitiveness based on proprietary technologies such as blockchain-based data protection, Software as a Service (SaaS)-based convenience, and flexible integration with various digital devices.

Notably, recently, J&P Medi attracted attention by launching the 'Maven DCT Suite' to respond to the DCT market and 'Maven Docs,' the country's first clinical trial document creation and management solution. The Maven DCT Suite was applied in October last year to the confirmatory clinical trial of an insomnia digital therapeutic (DTx) by Welt, a specialized digital therapeutics company. Furthermore, the company is aiming to become a specialized clinical trial digitalization service provider by planning to release new services within the year, such as online recruitment of clinical trial subjects and management of adverse drug event data.

DCT refers to a method that remotely manages patients and collects data based on digital technology, unlike traditional clinical trials that required patients to visit medical institutions directly. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic made face-to-face clinical trials difficult, DCT rapidly grew as an advanced clinical trial method. Consequently, the clinical data management solution industry is also gaining attention.

The Korea Health Industry Development Institute recently mentioned the full-scale adoption of DCT first among this year's new drug development prospects in its 'Global Health Industry Trends.' The institute explained, "As the supply of new tools and infrastructure enabling DCT expands, the application of DCT is expected to grow," adding, "Pharmaceutical and biotech companies are increasingly seeking partnerships with DCT partners who establish digital-based clinical strategies."