CHAPEL HILL, NC, UNITED STATES - Mar 26, 2014 - Rho, a contract research organization (CRO) focused on bringing new products to market through a full range of product development services, today announced its Federal Systems Division has been selected by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to be part of a network of five clinical research organizations that will design and conduct clinical studies needed to develop medical countermeasures - drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tests that help protect public health against bioterrorism, pandemic influenza, and other health emergencies. 

"We are honored to have Rho's Federal Systems Division selected by HHS to be a part of this clinical studies network," said Russ Helms, Ph.D., chief executive officer at Rho. "This appointment reflects our team's expertise and leadership in this field of research."

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), will manage the new clinical studies network, providing a full range of services required to plan, perform, monitor and interpret clinical studies. As part of the network, Rho will support targeted clinical studies relevant to BARDA's vision to create a nation with the capability to respond quickly and effectively to deliberate, natural and emerging threats by providing a range of clinical study services that can be used by BARDA and its development partners.

The Clinical Studies Network will address both emergency and non-emergency scenarios and will encompass the following services:

• Clinical Study Services  ̶ Projects will require full-service capabilities to execute clinical trials evaluating Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN), Pandemic Influenza (PI) and/or Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) medical countermeasures. These studies may be Phase 1, 2, 3, or 4 or combinations of these Phases.
• Clinical Trial Response Readiness  ̶ Projects will address preparedness and response activities in advance of a public health emergency and may require the development and implementation of a detailed plan to permit the initiation of a clinical study within a predefined timeframe. Studies may include healthy adults, pediatric, elderly and other populations with special medical requirements.

To learn more about Rho, please visit www.rhoworld.com.

This project is funded in whole with Federal funds from the HHS, ASPR, BARDA, under Contract No. HHSO100201400004I. The award includes a minimum guarantee of $400,000 over the initial two years and may be extended for up to a total of five years and a maximum of $100 million.

About Rho

Rho, a privately-held, contract research organization (CRO) located in Chapel Hill, NC, provides a full range of clinical research services across the entire drug development process. For more than 25 years, Rho has been a trusted partner to some of the industry's leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies as well as academic and government organizations. Our commitment to excellence, our innovative technologies, and our therapeutic expertise accelerate time to market, maximize returns on investment, and lead to an exceptional customer experience. Please follow us on Twitter.

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