CRI Worldwide has completed its acquisition of Lifetree Clinical Research. The acquisition combines CRI’s position in psychiatry and patient population studies with Lifetree’s expertise in pain management and human abuse liability, as well as performing complex studies in early-stage clinical research.

The acquisition expands CRI’s clinical pharmacology capacity to more than 120 beds. The combined organization will provide a broad range of psychiatry and neurology research products and services at three research sites located in NJ, PA, and UT.

Lifetree’s founders, Alice Jackson, RN and Lynn Webster, M.D., will remain with the company and continue to lead operations in UT, while becoming part of the combined organization’s senior management and clinical operations teams.

“As they seek to improve returns on research investments, drug companies and CROs increasingly need clinical research sites that can offer highly specialized services and access to patient populations,” said Jeffrey Kinell, president and chief executive officer of the combined organization. “I am confident that the clinical and operational strength of the CRI and Lifetree teams will provide our clients with the highest levels of quality and efficiency.”

Ms. Jackson, president, Lifetree Clinical Research, added, “As clients seek more value for their research spending, the focus and commitment of the combined CRI and Lifetree teams offers a level of service that cannot be matched. There is a pedigree of excellence at both CRI and Lifetree and the opportunity to offer more resources to our clients is exciting. CRI will provide Lifetree with both the operational and financial resources to continue to do what we do best and to expand the capabilities of the Lifetree Center of Neuroscience Research.”