Lilly and Thermo Fisher Scientific to extend clinical trial relationship

Lilly has expanded its clinical trial materials supply chain relationship with Thermo Fisher Scientific in order to help deliver innovative medicines to patients more quickly.

Under the terms of the new agreement, the science company’s Fisher Clinical Services unit will take over responsibility for materials manufacturing, packaging and labelling operations at Lilly’s Indianapolis facility.

The new arrangement will come into effect by the end of this summer and is designed to allow Lilly to reduce costs while improving the speed of its clinical development programmes.

Dr Ralph Lipp, vice-president of pharmaceutical sciences research and development for Lilly, welcomed the latest extension of the companies’ two-decade working relationship.

He said: “We believe this expanded agreement is the best way to ensure that high-quality clinical trial material is getting to clinical trial sites around the world as efficiently as possible.”

Earlier this month, the company agreed a deal with drug delivery company Acrux to licence a new treatment designed for sufferers of testosterone deficiency.