Kansas Bioscience Authority Grant Supports Innovative Approach
RALEIGH, N.C. – April 17, 2013 – PRA, a leading clinical research organization, today announced it received a $400,000 grant from the Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA) to create 80 new jobs this year in Kansas. The graduates will be part of The PRA (Preparing for Research Advancement) Program, an innovative career opportunity for new college graduates interested in clinical research and the CRO industry.
PRA, headquartered in Raleigh, employs nearly 500 people in Lenexa, Kansas. The Lenexa facility includes a business office, a Phase I clinic, and a bioanalytical laboratory. It is the largest of PRA's 50+ offices around the world.
"There is a shortage of talent in the CRO and pharmaceutical development industries," said David Dockhorn, PRA executive vice president. "We've developed The PRA Program to bring new applicants into the industry. Our goal is to train them and get them into the workforce."
At a recent event (see PRA News Reel) in Lenexa announcing The PRA Program, Duane Cantrell, KBA president and CEO, praised PRA for creating a pipeline of talented professionals who will work in Kansas and continue to contribute to the CRO and pharmaceutical industries.
Kansas Secretary of Commerce Pat George spoke at the event and underscored the need for companies like PRA to create new jobs and move the economy forward. "Governor Brownback has made it clear from day one that growing the economy is the most important thing that we can do in Kansas. From my travels around the state, Kansas is very well poised to do that."
About PRA
PRA is transforming clinical trials through our people, innovation and transparency. PRA provides personalized service customized to the unique requirements of each study. We support our global reach and innovative approach through flexible and reliable service, delivered by skilled employees dedicated to ensuring that sponsors achieve their long-term goals.
We serve our clients across all phases of biopharmaceutical drug development by combining therapeutic and operational expertise with local knowledge. Offering services in 80+ countries and serving sponsors for 35+ years, we have amassed a level of expertise that enables us to work on a variety of compounds, ranging from niche treatments and therapies to blockbuster drugs. But at PRA, we are looking to the future, not the past. Our increasingly forward-thinking approach to transforming the clinical trial landscape continues to make a difference to healthcare patients around the world.
To learn more about PRA, please visit praintl.com, email [email protected] or call our Global Headquarters.