Press Releases

Labs Merge, Become World’s Largest
In Early Clinical & Bio-analytical Research

Denver, Colorado (October 17, 2006) — With the October merger with BA Research International, Cetero Research (formerly Contract Research Solutions) is now the world’s largest provider of early clinical and bio-analytical research services for the pharmaceutical industry.

Since February, Cetero Research has built a team including PRACS Institute, Ltd. of Fargo, ND, Gateway Medical Research of St. Louis, MO, and BA Research International of Houston, TX.

With more than 1,000 employees and locations in Fargo, East Grand Forks, St. Louis, Houston and Toronto, Canada, Cetero Research is now an international company positioned to provide the world’s pharmaceutical industry with a single source for complete pharmaceutical research testing.

In the past seven months, PRACS Institute entered into a partnership with investment group KRG Partners of Denver; the group acquired Gateway Medical Research and in October BA Research merged into the group now known as Cetero Research. Jerry Merritt, Pharm.D., is CEO of Cetero Research.

PRACS Institute was started in 1983 by James Carlson, Pharm.D., as a clinical research facility. Since that time PRACS has become a full-service contract research organization offering pre-clinical, clinical, bioanalytical and statistical research services to serve the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and skin care industries. PRACS has two clinic locations with more than 660 beds currently for study participants. In November, the Fargo clinic facility will open a campus addition bringing it to more than 275,000 square feet. This addition will add an additional 260 beds.

In July, Gateway Medical Research was acquired. The company is also an early phase clinical testing facility which draws its study participants from the St. Louis metropolitan area. The company was founded in 1987 by Daniel R. Shipley. The 105,000 square foot facility can accommodate up to 520 study participants.

BA Research International provides bioanalytical, statistical, regulatory, and custom synthesis research services to the pharmaceutical industry. It was acquired by Paul Likhari in 1991. The company has lab facilities in Houston and Toronto and provides bioanalytical services to PRACS and Gateway Medical Research as well as pharmaceutical companies and other contract research organizations.