Our History
A great set of competences honed over decades
Since 40 years we at CRS tackle any type of clinical trial
CRS was established in 2006, based on the merger of three formerly independent Contract Research Organizations (CROs), backed by more than 40 years of experience in clinical pharmacology and the conduct of clinical trials phase I.
- IKP Institut für klinische Pharmakologie Kiel GmbH,
- PPN Pharm PlanNet Contract Research GmbH, and
- IKP Institut für klinische Pharmakologie Mannheim/Grünstandt GmbH.
From the beginning right up to the present they all meet the latest technical and logistical standards of clinical research. As of today, CRS comprises four Clinical Pharmacology Units (CPUs) in Germany with a total capacity of more than 200 beds. This makes CRS one of the leading European providers of phase I services, including standard PharmacoKinetic (PK) / PharmacoDynamic (PD) trial designs as well as special fields of expertise in a strictly standardized phase I environment.
Besides the standard early phase clinical trials in healthy volunteers, a substantial part of CRS’s business is the conduct of patient driven trials as well as multicentre trials. Clients from various sectors of the healthcare industry – ranging from pharmaceutical & biotech to developers of medicinal products, nutritionals and cosmetics – benefit from the comprehensive service portfolio offered by CRS.
MANAGEMENT
The CRS Clinical Research Services Management GmbH, former CRS Clinical Research Services Andernach GmbH, was established in 2006.
The foundation of CRS was based on the merger of three formerly independent CROs: IKP-Kiel, PPN-Mönchengladbach and IKP Institut für klinische Pharmakologie Mannheim/Grünstandt GmbH. Professor Dr. Thomas Forst is Chairman of the Executive Board at CRS Management and Ekkehard Herrmann is Chief Financial Officer (CFO).).
Kiel
In 1992, the unit in Kiel was founded as a private research center in collaboration with the clinics for internal medicine at the Kiel University Hospital. It was made an independent CRO in 1994. Since then, the unit has offered all types of clinical trials phase I–IIa to the global pharmaceutical industry, including special patient population studies (e.g. trials concerning renal/hepatic impairment).
In 2000, the unit joined the IKP Group and successfully passed an inspection of the U.S. American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002. Since January 2007, it is operated as CRS Clinical Research Services Kiel GmbH, a member of the CRS group.
Dr. Atef Halabi is Medical and Managing Director at CRS Kiel.
Berlin
The unit in Berlin was originally established in 1988 as a merger of different clinical pharmacology units, each engaged in a specific therapeutic area. In 1993 the unit, which then acted as the Bayer Pharma AG phase I unit, moved into its current location that was newly built one year before.
As of July 2013 the former Bayer phase I unit with all its staff, equipment, and experience has continued its work as the newly established CRS Clinical Research Services Berlin GmbH.
Nowadays, Prof. Dr. Thomas Forst, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), is also Chairman of the Executive Board at CRS Berlin. Dr. Sybille Baumann is Medical Director at CRS Berlin.
Wuppertal
The clinical trial phase I unit in Wuppertal was newly built in 1984 by the Bayer Pharma AG.
As of July 2013 the former Bayer unit with all its staff, equipment, and experience has continued its work as the newly established CRS Clinical Research Services Wuppertal GmbH. Nowadays, Ekkehard Herrmann, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of CRS, is also Managing Director at CRS Wuppertal. Stefanie Boxnick is Medical Director at CRS Wuppertal.
Mannheim
The Mannheim unit for clinical pharmacology studies and phase I clinical trials was originally established in 1977 in Bobenheim. Subsequently the unit was relocated to Grünstadt, a small town near Mannheim on the German Weinstraße (Wine Route), the oldest of Germany’s tourist wine routes. In 2004, it moved to the converted building which previously housed the pediatric department of the Mannheim University Hospital owing to clients’ growing needs for clinical trials with large groups of subjects.
The IKP Institut für klinische Pharmakologie Mannheim/Grünstandt GmbH has been a member of CRS since July 2006 and was renamed CRS Clinical Research Services Mannheim GmbH in January 2007.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Forst and Ekkehard Herrmann are Managing Directors at CRS Mannheim, Dr. Dr. Armin Schultz is Medical Director.
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CRO Leadership Awards 2019
CRS is proud to be recognised again by pharma companies worldwide as a leading CRO with regard to: capabilities, compatibility, quality and reliability.
European Biotechnology Guide
Find CRS’s company profile in the European Biotechnology Science Industry Guide, volume 9 2019.
EcoVadis – CSR Rating
Based on the CSR rating by EcoVadis in 2022 CRS has been granted Silver Recognition Level.