Growth By Acquisition: RTI Acquires Integrated Safety Systems

is expanding the reach of its Health Solutions group by acquiring Integrated Safety Systems.

The Cary-based company, which employs six people, focuses on pharmaceutical safety surveillance and consulting services. All six ISS staffers will join the RTI Health Solutions group, which employs more than 90 people.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

RTI is seeking to expand its efforts in so-called "pharmacovigilance", which includes monitoring the safety of medicines.

"The primary reason for the acquisition was that we saw upgrade in the synergy with the services that ISS provided along with some of our core functions," Allen Mangel, vice president of RTI Health Solutions, told WRAL Local Tech Wire."

"We were interested in acquiring a group in the pharmacovigilance space," he added. "For us, of course, it was much more desirable to acquire a local company. We approached Dr. Klepper in terms of his interest in joining RTI."

ISS was founded by physician Michael Klepper, who is president of the firm.

"We are excited to have the opportunity to join RTI Health Solutions," Klepper said in a statement. "This is a team that shares our values and goal of helping our clients provide safe and effective medicines to patients."

ISS offers services other than pharmacovigilance, but Mangel said the firm's expertise in that area was especially appealing.

"Dr Klepper is an expert in area of pharmacovigilance," Mangel added. "He has been involved in it for 20 years. This is what he has professionally done."

The acquisition also helps RTI Health Solutions address a point of emphasis, Mangel said.

"One of our areas of push is risk management," he said. "This acquisition adds a new facet to our risk management capabilities."

ISS offers services in: Pharmacovigilance and risk management; medical monitoring and medical consulting; medical writing; New Drug Application-related activities; coding; and training.

"We are very pleased to add these talented researchers to our RTI family," said RTI President Victoria Haynes. "Their addition will strengthen RTI Health Solutions' very successful risk management capabilities."

RTI Health Solutions works with pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device firms, offering expertise in epidemiology, biostatistics, health economics, psychometrics, reimbursement strategy, medical writing and clinical development. The business unit was launched in 2000.