Celerion Opens Operations in South Korea at Seoul National University Hospital Clinical Trial Center
Celerion Opens Operations in South Korea at Seoul National University Hospital Clinical Trial Center
(Lincoln, NE; Mar 4, 2014) – Celerion is pleased to announce the expansion of clinical operations to South Korea. Through partnership with Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), the new Asian office is located within the SNUH Clinical Trials Center. This enables Celerion and our clients access to the 80-bed clinical research unit, particularly geared toward clinical pharmacology, oncology, and pediatrics, as well as the highly trained staff at this center. The new Asian office will be overseen by John Horkulak, Executive Director, Eurasian Site Operations. Mr. Horkulak brings over 20 years of experience in managing clinical pharmacology studies in patient populations to this role.
The focus of the SNUH Clinical Trials Center is translational medicine and aligns with Celerion’s strategic vision to provide effective global services that support growing interest in complex early clinical studies, often involving patients. In addition, Celerion has built relationships and audited three other clinical trial centers in South Korea to support the need for multi-site early clinical studies in patients often requiring confinement.
South Korea has become a leader in the Asia Pacific region for conducting clinical studies. Over the past 10 years, the South Korean government has provided funding and resources to create a network of well-equipped hospital-based clinical trial centers as a focus for training and growth in clinical pharmacology. By partnering with Celerion, SNUH and other clinical trial centers will gain exposure to our best practices and processes as well as broader involvement in global drug development. Through Celerion, clients will have access to patient populations suitable for participation in early clinical research in oncology, HCV, cardiovascular (atherosclerosis and hypertension), diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, pain, psychiatric conditions, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, asthma and COPD. In addition, Celerion’s partners will provide expertise in pharmacogenetics and ethnic bridging studies in Asian populations.
“We are very pleased to have a presence in South Korea through our partnership with Seoul National University Hospital,” said Susan Thornton PhD., President and CEO at Celerion. “They are a highly respected institution and among the global leaders in the conduct of quality medical research. Collectively, we are in a solid position to successfully conduct and analyze complex clinical pharmacology studies involving patients with access to specialized equipment and facilities.”
“It is an honor for us to partner with Celerion, a global leader in early clinical research,” said Prof. Yung-Jue Bang MD PhD., President of the Biomedical Research Institute at SNUH, who also serves as the Director to the Clinical Trials Center. “The partnership enables us to participate more actively in global drug development programs as well as supporting the early clinical research needs for the emerging Korean drug discovery industry.”
Celerion’s expansion of business operations to South Korea builds on our long-standing expertise in clinical pharmacology and reflects the latest step in our strategic commitment to Applied Translation Medicine.
About Celerion
Celerion, a leader in early clinical research, delivers Applied Translational Medicine. Celerion applies our expertise and experience to translating information gained in research discoveries, to knowledge of drug action and effect in humans to support early drug development decisions and the clinical pharmacology labeling of new medicines.
With over 40 years of experience and 750 global clinic beds (including 24 in-hospital), Celerion conducts and analyzes First-in-Human, clinical Proof-of-Concept, cardiac safety (TQT, robust QT), ADME and NDA-enabling clinical pharmacology studies. Celerion provides expertise on modeling and simulation, study design, medical writing (protocols and reports), clinical data sciences, biostatistics, and PK/PD analysis as well as small and large molecule bioanalytical assays through clinical drug development. Regulatory, drug development and program management complement Celerion’s service offerings. For more information please visit www.celerion.com.
About Seoul National University Hospital
Seoul National University Hospital has been looking after public health over the past 100 years, leading the development of medicine in Korea. It was established in 1885 as Korea’s first national hospital under the name of Kwang Hye Won. Later it became the affiliate hospital for Seoul National University’s College of Medicine and College of Dentistry before being recognized as a special corporate body under the name of Seoul National University Hospital.
Today the hospital is comprised of the Main Hospital, the Children’s Hospital, the Cancer Hospital, the Dental Hospital, and the Clinical Research Institute. Over 1,700 hospital beds, approximately 2,000 inpatients and 8,000 outpatients are treated each day by 533 medical professors and 5,800 staff.
With the arrival of the 21st century, Seoul National University Hospital is striving to develop into a world-class hospital, safeguarding the health of mankind. The hospital’s vision for the 21st century is based on patient-oriented care, respect for mankind, the creation of knowledge and public service. For more information, please visit www.snuh.org.
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Celerion
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