Medtech contractor NAMSA has shown it is still on the takeover trail by buying Madrid-based medical device services organization AKRN Scientific Consulting.
NAMSA said the deal—financial terms of which were not disclosed—will expand its expertise and ability to meet the growing demand for safe, efficient clinical development and commercialization services for medical devices.
AKRN CEO Maria Nyåkern cited medical device and in vitro diagnostics regulations as well as ISO 14155 clinical investigations of medical devices, monitoring and management of clinical investigations as areas of expertise for the firm.
She also said AKRN has established a “good reputation with European KOLs and hospitals, competent authorities and ethics committees,” adding that the firm also has the “management, leadership and entrepreneurial spirit to collaborate with medtech clients.”
Access to the EU’s medical technology market—which is worth in excess of 115 billion euros a year, according to trade group MedtechEurope (PDF)—is another benefit of the deal, according to Nyåkern.
Nyåkern also outlined the integration plan, explaining that the process would take place over the next six to nine months. NAMSA will retain AKRN's headquarters in Spain and all staff, while adding to its headcount "to meet the growing demand of global resources." She also told us there are opportunities for synergies in areas like “preclinical testing, data management, biostatistics, EDC platform and more.”
The acquisition expands NAMSA’s network to a total of 19 locations throughout the Asia-Pacific region and Europe as well as in North and South America.
AKRN is NAMSA’s fourth acquisition in two years. In August last year, the Ohio-based contractor bought Clinlogix, citing its capabilities in cardiovascular, neurology, nephrology, urology, oncology and wound-related clinical trials. Prior to that, NAMSA bought New York-based Syntactx and Minneapolis-headquartered American Preclinical Services.
ArchiMed, an independent investment firm specialized in the healthcare industries, acquired a majority holding in NAMSA in 2020.