PPD Company History
HELPING TO DELIVER LIFE-CHANGING THERAPIES THAT IMPROVE HEALTH
From its beginnings in 1985 as a one-person consulting firm to its position today as a leading global contract research organization (CRO), PPD’s history is shaped by its commitment to consistent quality and execution, exceptional customer-aligned service and continuous innovation to speed the overall execution of clinical trials.
With offices in 46 countries and more than 24,000 professionals worldwide, PPD applies innovative technologies, therapeutic expertise and a firm commitment to quality to help customers bend the cost and time curve of drug development and optimize value in delivering life-changing therapies to improve health.
“We measure our success by customers who are pleased partners, employees who are driven and engaged, and patients who are getting quality therapies faster. Our passion and drive for excellence are strong, and we are optimistic about the future of our company and the industry.”
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1985
1985
Founded by Fred Eshelman, Pharm. D., as a one-person consulting firm
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1986
1986
Expands scope to include development services
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1989
1989
Incorporates in North Carolina
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1995
1995
Expands to Europe, the Middle East and Africa with acquisition of Gabbay Group, a CRO in the U.K.
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1996
1996
Initial public stock offering
Acquires Applied BioScience International, which includes Pharmaco and several European regional drug development companies
Expands to Latin America with acquisition of Brazil-based CRO
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1997
1997
Offers drug discovery services
Expands to Asia-Pacific region with opening of office in Australia
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2001
2001
Declares a one-for-one stock dividend
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2002
2002
Acquires Medical Research Laboratories International, adding central lab services in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa to its offerings for clients
Acquires ProPharma, an Asian-based CRO, which significantly expands PPD’s footprint in Asia-Pacific
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2005
2005
Revenue exceeds $1 billion
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2006
2006
PPD board approves a two-for-one split of the company’s common stock
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2007
2007
10,000+ employees globally
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2008
2008
Purchases InnoPharm, a CRO based in Russia, expanding PPD’s global reach with offices in both Russia and Ukraine
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2009
2009
Acquires AbCRO, a CRO in Central and Eastern Europe, strengthening PPD’s presence in a high-growth, emerging region for clinical research
Expanded PPD’s presence in China significantly with acquisitions in that country
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2010
2010
Spins off its compound partnering division as Furiex Pharmaceuticals, an independent company
Celebrates 25th anniversary
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2011
2011
Acquired by affiliates of The Carlyle Group and affiliates of Hellman & Friedman
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2013
2013
Acquires Acurian, a leading full-service provider of clinical trial patient enrollment and retention solutions
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2014
2014
Announces agreement to form PPD-SNBL, a joint venture providing a full range of clinical development services in Japan
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2015
2015
Acquires network of U.S.-based research sites via Radiant
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2016
2016
Acquires Evidera, a leading provider of evidence-based solutions, establishing a global leader in real-world research
Acquires network of global research sites via Synexus
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2017
2017
Affiliates of The Carlyle Group and affiliates of Hellman & Friedman recapitalize PPD and add two new investors, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and an affiliate of GIC
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2018
2018
Establishes Accelerated Enrollment Solutions (AES), a business unit that combines patient data and a network of clinical research sites
Introduces new PatientAdvantage trial delivery method
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2019
2019
Revenue exceeds $4 billion
AES acquires the clinical research site business of Bioclinica
Evidera acquires Medimix, a global technology company providing real-world evidence insights
Enters collaboration with HLT to expand clinical research solutions for our customers in China
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2020
2020
Initial public stock offering
Announces plans to expand operations in China by opening a multifunctional lab, along with enlarging existing and opening new clinical development offices