CenExel Clinical Research has announced the acquisition of Research Centers of America (RCA) in Hollywood, FL. Each of the CenExel research units have assisted with protocol development and conducted Phase I-IV trials to help pharmaceutical sponsors develop new therapeutics.
RCA's investigators and staff have conducted over 1,000 inpatient and outpatient clinical trials, ranging from pediatric to geriatric populations, with an emphasis on Phase I-III mental health and CNS disorders, substance use disorders, and sleep studies. RCA partners with the Fort Lauderdale Behavioral Health Center for psychiatric inpatient and outpatient trials.
With the addition of RCA, CenExel now operates facilities in Florida, California, Georgia, Maryland, and Utah.
Peter Ventre, MD, founder and principal investigator of RCA, is board certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Ventre also owns Ventre Medical Associates (VMA).
Howard Schwartz, MD, RCA's Chief Medical Officer, serves as a principal investigator on vaccine and Phase I trials and as a sub-investigator on a broad range of studies in other indications. Dr. Schwartz has practiced medicine for over 30 years and is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology. Focused on making RCA the premier research site in South Florida, he has lectured and published extensively on many of the clinical trials in which he has participated. Additionally, he has served as an industry consultant and on numerous Data Safety Management Boards.
"We are thrilled to add Research Centers of America to the stellar network of CenExel sites," said Tom Wardle, CenExel CEO. "This acquisition continues the aggressive momentum of CenExel as a leading full-service clinical research site network. RCA'S expertise in CNS disorders and vaccine research extends our ability to offer the finest quality clinical research, investigators, and staff to study sponsors to deliver their clinical research objectives. We are particularly enthusiastic about the stability and leadership that Dr. Ventre and Dr. Schwartz bring to RCA and their commitment to continued growth of RCA and CenExel over the next several years."
Kevin Quinn, VP of CenExel Business Development and Integration, said, "We are especially proud of the wholly-owned and operated inpatient facilities and the Phase I research expertise in mental health disorders at RCA, as well as the substantial ongoing expansion of their facilities."
"Joining the CenExel Centers of Excellence network is a significant and timely step for us," said Dr. Peter Ventre. "We see this as an avenue to increasing single- and multi-site studies for RCA, while allowing us to focus on our strength—changing patients' lives through new pharmaceutical therapies."
CenExel Clinical Research, Inc. was formed in 2018, and since its formation, CenExel has aggressively pursued organic growth as well as the acquisition of other state-of-the-art research centers around the U.S.