Cognizant signs $95m contract with AstraZeneca

Cognizant, a leading US-based provider of global IT and business process outsourcing services, has signed an agreement with AstraZeneca to support the company's drive for greater efficiencies in clinical data management.

The contract is for a period of five years with anticipated revenues of approximately US$95m (Euro 61.8m).

Under the agreement, Cognizant will provide a broad spectrum of centralised data management services for AstraZeneca's global clinical development programmes, including data management planning, clinical study set-up for electronic data capture, medical coding, adverse event reconciliation, clinical data management, and training for the clinical sites and investigators. The intention to centralise these services was announced by AstraZeneca last year as part of its effort to drive r&d efficiencies.

"We will help AstraZeneca centralise and streamline its clinical data management operations through improved process standardisation, consistency of delivery, economies of scale and cost savings that AstraZeneca can reinvest to support the fast, innovative and efficient development of its r&d programmes," said Cognizant president and ceo Francisco D'Souza.

In 2004 AstraZeneca engaged Cognizant for other business services across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. These services encompass a broad range of well-integrated business process and technology solutions that span discovery, clinical, manufacturing and commercial operations.

"Our existing, long-standing relationship with Cognizant supports our view that they are the best partner to deliver clinical data management services for us," said Anders Ekblom, vice president of clinical development, AstraZeneca. "Delivering efficiencies through reshaping our business is one of our key strategic priorities."