Quintiles and Thermo Fisher Scientific Create Joint Venture to Provide Integrated Response Technology Services

Quintiles and Thermo Fisher Scientific Create Joint Venture to Provide Integrated Response Technology Services

May 22, 2007

Cenduit(TM) combines state-of-the-art technology with
clinical trial expertise

    RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., May 22
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Quintiles Transnational Corp. and
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) today announced
the creation of a joint venture, called Cenduit(TM), that
provides seamless, integrated Interactive Response
Technology (IRT) services for pharmaceutical and
biotechnology product development. 

    IRT is a technology platform that integrates patient
interaction systems through a combination of Interactive
Voice Response (IVR) systems, Web interfaces and handheld
electronic patient diaries. The use of IRT is expected to
grow as pharmaceutical companies look to streamline and
better control increasingly complex drug development
processes. 

    "Cenduit brings together best-in-class technology,
exceptional customer service and global clinical trial
expertise to give biotechnology and pharmaceutical
companies a seamless, integrated 'one-stop' service for
support of their clinical development programs," said
Jogin Desai, Chief Executive Officer of Cenduit.  "Our
efficiency and experience in IRT services and clinical
project management offers the drug development industry a
conduit to the broadest, most accurate, real-time view of
every detail in the process -- and a very competitive
solution." The name "Cenduit" signifies the
channel through which information can move directly and
freely. The prefix evokes the idea of a central point or
hub.

    Thermo Fisher contributes to the joint venture its
Fisher Clinical Services IRT operations in three locations
-- Horsham, U.K.; Allentown, Penn., USA; and Basel,
Switzerland. Quintiles brings its IRT operations in
Bangalore, India, and Research Triangle Park, NC, USA,
which is the venture's headquarters.

    Desai said the opportunity for an IRT business is
strong and growing:  "Interactive Voice Response is
used in an estimated 30% of all Phase II-III clinical
trials, and this rate is expanding rapidly. With advances
in technology leading to even broader application through
Interactive Response Technology, we believe the market will
grow at a rate of about 20% per year, and we plan to offer a
service that can aggressively capitalize on this
opportunity."

    Cenduit will be guided by a joint venture board of
directors, composed of representatives from each of the
founder companies.  The board will provide guidance on
operational and strategic matters. 

    "Our companies have been looking for an
opportunity to leverage the particular service strengths we
bring to the drug development process," said Marijn E.
Dekkers, President and Chief Executive Officer, Thermo
Fisher Scientific.  "With Cenduit, we have combined
two leaders -- the clinical supply chain expertise of our
Fisher Clinical Services business with the clinical
development expertise of Quintiles -- to offer a scalable,
seamless technology platform." 

    The two parent companies have worked together to create
something new for customers to provide them with more
control over the myriad details of their drug development
processes.  "These are two businesses that know the
complexity of clinical trials and the optimal cohesiveness
and integration of their many work and data streams,"
said Oppel Greeff, Quintiles' Vice Chairman, Operations. 
"The joint venture that we have created through
Cenduit offers the drug development industry the broadest,
most accurate view of every detail in the process."

    Desai, the CEO, previously served in Quintiles as
Executive Director, Quintiles Cardiac Safety Services.  A
medical doctor, Desai has had extensive prior work
experience in clinical research in the United States. He
joined Quintiles India in 2002 and has been instrumental in
building and expanding a highly successful global ECG
business, which has staff in India (Mumbai, Bangalore), the
UK (Bracknell), US (RTP) and Japan (Tokyo).  

    About Quintiles

    Quintiles Transnational Corp. is powering the next
generation of healthcare by providing a broad range of
professional services in drug development, financial
partnering and commercialization for the pharmaceutical,
biotechnology and healthcare industries. With 17,000
employees and offices in more than 50 countries, it is
focused on providing customer-centric solutions that are
the gold standard of the industry. For more information,
visit www.quintiles.com.

    About Thermo Fisher Scientific

    Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world
leader in serving science, enabling our customers to make
the world healthier, cleaner and safer. With an annual
revenue rate of more than $9 billion, we employ 30,000
people and serve over 350,000 customers within
pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and
clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research
institutions and government agencies, as well as
environmental and industrial process control settings.
Visit http://www.thermofisher.com .


    For more information, please contact: 

    Dick Jones
    Media Relations
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    Greg Connors
    Investor Relations
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