Anima is one of the most successful clinical trial centres in Europe, working across a range of therapeutic areas and significantly outperforming the industry average for patient recruitment and retention. Data show that historically 85% of clinical trials fail to recruit enough patients on time and suffer dropout rates of up to 20%[1]. Anima consistently recruits to, or faster than, the timelines agreed by sponsoring pharma companies, with a 97% patient adherence rate, resulting in fewer clinical trial delays. Anima’s success is derived from a business model that 1) prioritizes expertise and experience in running clinical trials over knowledge of a particular therapeutic area; and 2) takes a patient-directed approach to recruitment for clinical trials, empowering patients to make informed decisions about their participation.
The financing from BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity is an equity investment, with the investor becoming a minority shareholder. The deal reflects Anima’s growth potential and gives the Company the resources to rapidly expand its clinical trial operations, with a site planned for the Netherlands in 2025 and Germany in 2026, and potential growth into the United States in the longer term.
Dr Erik Buntinx, Founding Chief Executive Officer and Principal Investigator at Anima Research, commented: "When we set up Anima Research in 2018, we wanted to create an expert team that delivered the best and most efficient clinical trials - to help patients and bring high-quality pharmaceutical products to market. This partnership with BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity is a significant milestone in Anima’s development, providing powerful validation of our approach while strengthening our position as a leader in the clinical trials space. I am proud of what we have achieved and excited by our partnership, which will enable us to take our successful blueprint into Europe and beyond.”
Sven Vermeulen, Investment Manager at BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity, said: "BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity is dedicated to investing in Belgian companies that not only drive innovation and growth but also embody our shared values of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) responsibility. Anima's commitment to improving clinical trial delivery, enhancing patient outcomes, and promoting sustainable healthcare practices aligns perfectly with our ESG framework, and we're proud to support their mission-driven approach."
[1] Desai M. (2020) ‘Recruitment and retention of participants in clinical studies: Critical issues and challenges’, Perspectives in Clinical Research, 11(2), p. 51.
