Emmes launches Orphan Reach™: Emmes’ Rare Disease Center

03rd November, 2021, Rockville, Maryland (USA): Emmes – a full service, global clinical research organization (CRO) – is launching its new center, Orphan Reach™ as a unique ‘rare CRO’.

The new rare disease center will incorporate Emmes’ world class reputation in public health research across the public sector and biopharmaceutical industry, with the expertise of Orphan Reach, a UK-based specialty CRO acquired by Emmes in May 2021.  The addition of Emmes’ renowned biostatistics, data management, and global clinical trial execution capabilities will enable the center to function as a full, end to end services organization.
The expanded Orphan Reach forms a global specialty center dedicated to the advancement of rare disease research by providing specialized clinical trial design and execution capabilities. It is expected that the Orphan Reach clinical study portfolio will double over the next 12 months, with Emmes’ joint services and technologies bringing new capabilities to the expanding rare disease drug development market. 

Emmes Chief Research Officer, Traci Clemons, PhD sees the new combined organization as stronger together, adding: “Collectively, we have  an incredibly strong team, bringing together deep global rare disease clinical operations capabilities with extensive scientific research experience across multiple rare disease indications.  In areas such as ophthalmology, metabolic disorders, and gene therapies, Emmes has data and analytical origins spanning over four decades and a wealth of scientific publications.”
The newly dedicated center will be launched at the World Orphan Drug Congress in Barcelona, Spain on November 15th. In addition to Dr. Clemons, the center will be led by a team of senior industry executive experts in rare diseases including Thomas Ogorka, Managing Director, and Nazira Maruf, Vice President of Project Management. 

Thomas Ogorka commented: “Our passion for the services we provide and the dedication we have to the patients in our trials has always been of paramount importance to Orphan Reach, and a contributing factor to our successful long-term collaborations with clients. We are excited to increase our impact within the rare disease space, especially as we broaden and deepen our service offerings through the new Emmes rare disease center. We are nimble, responsive and proactive in ensuring trials can advance more quickly through what are nearly always accelerated pathways.”

With more than 7,000 known rare diseases, biopharma customers often struggle to identify the right development partner – one who understands the unique aspects of rare disease clinical trials and can build a customized operational strategy aimed at reaching rare patients globally.  Emmes’ Orphan Reach rare disease center has demonstrated success in this area and is able to leverage highly experienced global networks and resources in addition to dedicated team members in offices across Canada, US, Europe and India.

On the reasons behind the formation of the new dedicated center, Dr. Christine Dingivan, Chief Executive Officer of Emmes added: “We want to make it easier for both rare disease focused biopharma companies and public sector research institutions to accelerate development of new treatment options for rare disease patients by leveraging a highly specialized global CRO committed to rare disease clinical research.  By harnessing the invaluable experience of the combined organization in over fifty rare disease indications, we will provide greater value to patients, investigators, and clients.”

-ENDS-

About Emmes
Founded in 1977, Emmes is a global, full-service clinical research organization dedicated to excellence in supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation. The company’s clients include numerous agencies and institutes of the U.S. federal government and a wide range of biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies throughout the world. To learn more about how our research is making a positive impact on human health, go to the Emmes website at www.emmes.com or www.orphan-reach.com.

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