Phase Forward Acquires Maaguzi

Phase Forward has acquired privately-held Maaguzi, a provider of Web-based, electronic patient reported outcomes (ePRO) and late phase solutions, for $11 million.

This acquisition extends Phase Forward’s integrated clinical research suite (ICRS) and marks the company’s entry into the ePRO and observational studies markets.

Clinical studies are progressively incorporating data reported directly by patients.

While this market was initially addressed with PDA-based solutions, Maaguzi’s ePRO solutions (that leverage Web-based interfaces) is expected to provide cost-effectiveness and the ability to address a broader range of ePRO market requirements, said the company.

Reportedly, there is a growing focus on late phase, observational studies and registries that combine investigator-collected and patient-reported data. Maaguzi’s Outcome Logix product is likely to unify both investigator-collected and patient-reported data into a single Web-based system supported on all common browsers.

Bob Weiler, chairman and CEO of Phase Forward, said: “The acquisition of Maaguzi is another step in our strategy of providing customers with an end-to-end, integrated clinical research suite for efficiently managing all of their trials. Our customers tell us that improving the involvement of patients and other parties in the clinical research and post-marketing areas is of critical importance, and Maaguzi’s technology leadership in this area will help us meet that need.”

Phase Forward is a provider of data management solutions for clinical trials and drug safety.