[Edaily Reporter NA EUN-KYUNG ] DR Research, a contract research organization (CRO) specializing in clinical trials, and #Chulip & Science CRO Center announced on the 5th that they have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation in the fields of clinical trials and biological sample analysis.

The signing ceremony took place that day at the Chulip & Science CRO Center, located in Chuncheon Bio-Town, Chuncheon City, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. Key representatives from both companies attended the event to discuss ways to integrate clinical trial execution and analytical services.

This agreement was established to build a more efficient and systematic collaboration framework for the clinical development of pharmaceuticals by combining DR Research’s full-cycle clinical trial capabilities—including planning, operation, project management, data management, and statistical analysis—with the biological sample analysis technology and expertise of Chulip & Science’s CRO Center.

In recent pharmaceutical development, it has become increasingly important not only to efficiently conduct clinical trials but also to properly manage specimens, secure reliable analytical data, and ensure seamless integration between clinical data and analytical results. In particular, during early-phase clinical trials, precise biological sample analysis is essential to verify a drug’s absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion characteristics within the body.

Bioequivalence studies, which evaluate equivalence by comparing the levels of drug exposure in the body between the test drug and the reference drug, also rely heavily on analytical technologies that accurately measure drug concentrations in blood and other samples. Consequently, close collaboration between clinical trial organizations and specialized analytical institutions is considered a key factor in enhancing the efficiency of clinical development and the reliability of data.

DR Research is a specialized CRO that provides clinical trial services across various fields, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and in vitro diagnostic medical devices. The company offers services covering the entire clinical trial process, from clinical trial planning and study design to project management (PM), clinical trial monitoring (CRA), coordination with medical institutions and investigators, data management (DM), and statistical analysis (STAT).

In particular, the company establishes clinical trial execution strategies that take into account product characteristics, development objectives, and regulatory requirements, and supports clients’ overall clinical development by integrating the operation of clinical trial sites with data quality management. In February, it signed a business agreement with CORESTEMCHEMON(166480)to establish integrated preclinical and clinical services, thereby expanding the scope of collaboration among specialized institutions.

The Chulip & Science CRO Center provides analytical services necessary for drug development and clinical research based on its expertise and analytical technologies in the field of biological sample analysis. It performs drug concentration analysis, metabolite analysis, and method development and validation using techniques such as liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Chulip & Science, formerly known as Aptamer Sciences Inc., expanded its CRO business in 2024 by merging with International Scientific Standards (ISS), a company specializing in biological sample analysis. Since then, it has broadened its business scope to include highly specialized analytical fields such as quantitative analysis of biopharmaceuticals and synthetic drugs, as well as immunogenicity assessments.

Through this agreement, the two companies will strengthen their collaborative framework linking clinical trial operations with biological sample analysis and will cooperate in various clinical development areas, including Phase 1 clinical trials for pharmaceuticals and bioequivalence studies. In particular, by effectively integrating their respective areas of expertise based on the characteristics of each project and the client’s requirements, the companies plan to establish a collaborative model that efficiently links key tasks in the clinical development process—from clinical trial planning and operation to biological sample analysis, data analysis, and the derivation of results.

Song Min-jeong, CEO of DR Research, stated, “This agreement goes beyond a simple business partnership; it lays the groundwork for collaboration that effectively links our expertise in clinical trial execution with our capabilities in biological sample analysis to provide more systematic support for the entire clinical development process of our clients,” adding “By combining DR Research’s expertise in clinical trial planning, management, and data analysis with the analytical capabilities of Chulip & Science’s CRO Center, we will provide tangible value to our clients throughout their clinical development process and expand our collaboration to foster joint projects and business achievements,” she added.