WIREDGOV

PRA Health Sciences – a leading global clinical research organisation - is making its second major expansion in Swansea creating nearly ninety new jobs with Welsh Government support.

The new investment, announced by Economy Minister Edwina Hart today (Friday 17 April) , is backed by £990,000 business finance from the Welsh Government which helped secure the project for Wales ahead of other global PRA locations under consideration.

The investment by PRA, which is headquartered in North Carolina, USA, will expand its clinical informatics capacity and create eighty seven graduate level jobs including management level jobs, bringing staff numbers at Swansea to 280 by December 2017.

Today's announcement follows news that a previous expansion project backed by a £1.29m grant from the Welsh Government exceeded expectations and created more than 100 jobs well ahead of schedule.

Economy Minister Edwina Hart said:

“I am delighted that PRA is further expanding its operational centre in Swansea creating high skilled, graduate level employment.  Lifesciences are a strategically import sector of the Welsh economy which makes this latest expansion by PRA - one of the world’s top five clinical research organisation - very welcome."

“The expansion follows an increased worldwide demand for their services and the decision to re-invest in Swansea highlights the success of their operation here and the calibre of staff they have been able to recruit locally. It is also a superb endorsement of Wales as a great business location.”

“We are thankful for the Welsh Government’s support and excited about our continued growth in Swansea," said Paul Bunch, PRA Executive Vice President.

“We continue to be impressed by the large number of high quality graduates from Welsh universities and the calibre of well-qualified local people who have applied for the newly created positions. These new hires have added tremendous value to our organization and to the success of our operation in Swansea."

The Swansea office is one of the core hubs within PRA which has had a base in the city since 1996 when it initially employed five people.

PRA facilitates clinical trials across all phases of product/drug development for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies providing a wide range of services including regulatory and drug development consultancy and data management. The Swansea team provide clinical programming, data management, safety and risk management and customer support.

In 2014 the global CRO market was worth an estimated $23.6billion which is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8% reaching the $32billion mark by 2018.