MINNEAPOLIS--DaVita Clinical Research® (DCR®), a specialty contract research organization with services spanning the full spectrum of drug and device development, announced today a non-exclusive agreement with Pacific Pharma Group, LLC, to provide consulting, program strategy and protocol design support for clinical pharmacology studies performed at DCR.
Jon Ruckle, M.D., CPI, principal at Pacific Pharma Group, will collaborate with DCR to continue to expand DCR's Phase I research capabilities. Dr. Ruckle has served as investigator for more than 350 studies across multiple therapeutic areas including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and osteoporosis, as well as first-in-human trials with biologics and small molecules.
"We are excited to enter into this consulting relationship with Pacific Pharma Group and to extend our scientific team to include the experience of Dr. Ruckle," said Chad Jaeger, vice president of early clinical research at DCR. "Our intense focus on patient safety and scientific integrity in complex clinical pharmacology services aligns well with this collaboration and the needs of our customers."
In addition to serving as principal at Pacific Pharma Group, Dr. Ruckle is currently assistant clinical professor at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. Previously, he held medical director positions at Comprehensive Clinical Development, Inc., Covance Clinical Research Unit and Radiant Research Unit Honolulu. He was medical director and co-founder of Northwest Kinetics, Inc., and has authored more than 30 medical publications.
"State-of-the-art, hospital-based Phase I facilities offering access to both patient and healthy normal populations are of great interest to pharmaceutical researchers," said Dr. Ruckle. "Through our relationship with DCR, Pacific Pharma Group will be able to offer clients access to these valuable services."
Dr. Ruckle completed his medical degree at the Loma Linda University Medical School in Loma Linda, Calif., and his internal medicine residency training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Dr. Ruckle is board certified in Internal Medicine and is a Certified Physician Investigator through the Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Investigators.
To learn more about DCR and upcoming clinical research trials, visit participateDaVita.com or DCR on Facebook.
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DaVita is the dialysis division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., a Fortune 500® company that, through its operating divisions, provides a variety of health care services to patient populations throughout the United States and abroad. A leading provider of kidney care in the United States, DaVita delivers dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita strives to improve patients' quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of Sept. 30, 2013, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 2,042 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 166,000 patients. The company also operated 66 outpatient dialysis centers located in 10 countries outside the United States. DaVita supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. The company's leadership development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visit DaVita.com.