Merge Healthcare and Cato Research Establish New Five–Year e-Trials Technology Transfer Agreement

Merge Healthcare (Milwaukee, WI, USA), a health information technology (IT) solutions provider, reported that it was selected by Cato Research, Ltd. (Durham, NC, USA) to provide the proprietary etrials EDC solution through Merge's technology transfer program. This new agreement expands Merge's partnership with Cato to provide additional technology for clinical trials management, as well as extending the relationship for an additional five years.

"We have enjoyed a long-standing partnership with Merge Healthcare for their clinical trial solutions," noted Allen Cato, M.D., Ph.D., and CEO of Cato Research, Ltd. "The etrials technology has been consistent and intuitive, and the Merge team has been quick to help us use it successfully. Adding the etrials EDC platform in a technology transfer model will enable our company to efficiently build and deliver solutions to help our customers run cost-effective clinical studies."

The technology transfer program allows Cato to use the etrials EDC system to build and deploy custom clinical trial studies that leverage the powerful reporting capabilities of Merge's technology. Because the etrials EDC solution is built on a SaaS platform, it can be licensed on a subscription or study basis. Moreover, Merge's etrials IVR and ePRO solutions can be integrated with the EDC system to provide comprehensive eClinical solutions. Merge's team of clinical trial experts will also provide training and support to Cato.

"We are thrilled to partner with Cato to bring etrials EDC into their portfolio of clinical trial solutions," said Justin Dearborn, Merge's chief executive officer. "With our robust EDC offering, Cato will be able to deliver an easy-to-use solution to their clients. It is our goal to understand how our customers' conduct business in order to deliver robust solutions that meet their long-term needs and allow for mutually beneficial partnerships like this one."

Merge Healthcare develops and integrates information technology to create a better electronic healthcare experience. Merge products range from standards-based development toolkits to advanced clinical applications.

Cato is a global contract research and development organization providing strategic and tactical support for clients in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and medical diagnostic industries. Cato's services range from design and management of preclinical and clinical studies to submission of regulatory documents required for marketing approval.

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