The contracts relate to a series of clinical trials that form part of a global phase II and phase III program investigating the safety and efficacy of an innovative biological approach for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Pacific Biometrics will provide the unnamed sponsor with arthritis biomarker testing on collected samples to support the its clinical development program, eventually expected to result in a new drug application (NDA) filing with the FDA and equivalent filings with other regulatory agencies.
The initial phase of testing for this program commenced in January 2004. Testing for the newly signed contracts will begin in March 2005, and is expected to conclude in two years.
“This high-profile development program paves the way for future projects similar in size and scope with this and other sponsors,” said Ron Helm, CEO of Pacific Biometrics.