PRINCETON, NJ - Aug 15, 2017 - WIRB-Copernicus Group® (WCG™), the world’s leading provider of solutions that measurably improve the quality and efficiency of clinical research, announced today that industry experts Steven Herne and Michael Cioffi have joined the leadership of MedAvante-ProPhase, the Group’s electronic clinical outcomes assessment (eCOA) arm. Herne and Cioffi are tasked with expanding MedAvante-ProPhase’s already formidable portfolio of services and technologies, which improve the quality of clinical trial data collection and analysis in the fields of CNS and mental health.

“Despite the large and growing unmet medical need, clinical trials in CNS and behavioral health progress more slowly - and attract less funding - than other therapeutic areas,” said Donald A. Deieso, PhD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), WCG. “Because their outcomes rely on subjective assessment, we believe that continued innovation in signal detection is the key to unlocking new treatments in these therapeutic areas.”

WCG acquired MedAvante and ProPhase in May, 2017, bringing together over 180 clinicians, scientists and technologists who specialize in the field of eCOA. Individually, both companies have a track record of helping clients to optimize the selection, use, and analysis of behavioral endpoints to mitigate trial risk and increase the likelihood of a study’s success. Through the power of the combined MedAvante-ProPhase organization, clients have access to the largest global team of clinicians, the leading eCOA technology platform, and a suite of complementary solutions to maximize trial efficiency.

“MedAvante-ProPhase is poised to take the next steps in its growth, and to accelerate the next phase of innovation for its clients and the industry,” said Jeffrey Litwin, MD, CEO, MedAvante-ProPhase. “With the support of WCG - and the leadership of a world-class team of experts - we are confident in our ability to deliver smarter, faster clinical trials that will ultimately result in better treatment options for patients.”

Herne and Cioffi bring decades of commercial and clinical operating experience to the MedAvante-ProPhase leadership team, which is primarily composed of clinicians and scientists. These growth-oriented, global business leaders have demonstrated their ability to drive transformative change and to increase client success in their previous roles within the pharmaceutical research and development industry.

Herne joins MedAvante-ProPhase as the Company’s Chief Commercial Officer, providing strategic direction and focusing on accelerating the delivery of clinical services and technology solutions to improve signal detection. He served most recently as the Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President at Bioclinica eHealth Solutions, and has held various global leadership roles with eRT, ICON, Covance, MDS Pharma, Inveresk, and Quintiles.

Cioffi is MedAvante-ProPhase’s Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations, leading the Company’s operational business units in support of project delivery and implementing global enterprise solutions that will drive continuous improvements in efficiency, output, and quality. Cioffi most recently held the position of External Innovation Lead with the Roche Innovation Center in New York, NY and has held executive level leadership positions with PRA, WCT and INC Research.

Virgil enables the seamless, integrated delivery of services that mitigate the risks of bias, variability and human error in clinical trials. To learn more, click here.

Connect with the newest members of the MedAvante-ProPhase team on LinkedIn:
Steven Herne, Chief Commercial Officer
Michael Cioffi, SVP, Clinical Operations

For more information about the companies, read the press release detailing WCG’s acquisition of MedAvante and ProPhase.

About WIRB-Copernicus Group
WIRB-Copernicus Group (WCG) is the world's leading provider of solutions that measurably improve the quality and efficiency of clinical research. The industry's first clinical services organization (CSO), WCG enables biopharmaceutical companies, CROs, and institutions to accelerate the delivery of new treatments and therapies to patients, while maintaining the highest standards of human subject protections. For more information, please visit www.wcgclinical.com or follow us on Twitter @WCGClinical.

About MedAvante-ProPhase
MedAvante-ProPhase is a global provider of measurement-related specialty solutions and data services dedicated to maximizing signal detection in global clinical trials. With MedAvante’s Virgil, its electronic clinical outcome assessment (eCOA) platform, clinical research sponsors are able to maximize outcome data quality and increase operational efficiency for clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas. ProPhase applies innovative solutions to optimize the selection, use, and analysis of behavioral endpoints to mitigate trial risk and maximize the likelihood of study success. Together, the two companies help biopharmaceutical clients to conduct successful trials in indications across the CNS spectrum, as well as multiple rare and orphan diseases.