On the 21st of March 2017, WDB Holdings Co., Ltd, a listed Japanese Contract Research Organisation, bought Medfiles Ltd (100 % of the shares).
Medfiles Group has been operating in Finland for over 30 years and 20 years in the Baltic countries. In the CRO business, Medfiles sells services in product development, laboratory analytics and QP certification (GMP-certified laboratories), clinical research, regulatory affairs, health economics, and pharmacovigilance for pharmaceutical, medical device, food/feed, nutrition and cosmetic companies. Medfiles was the first spin-off enterprise established by a few faculty members of Kuopio University and experts in the pharmaceutical industry in Kuopio, in 1987.
Medfiles has ca 130 employees, and it operates in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Its clients comprise pharmaceutical, medical device and food/feed, nutrition and cosmetic companies, as well as other clients in health care and related industries.
“Japan is one of the leading countries with a global pharmaceutical industry. With a new owner, Medfiles has a unique opportunity to serve clients from Japan and elsewhere globally. Together with WDB, we are taking a huge step in our internationalisation strategy. As a solid and profitable listed company, WDB offer us a strong base from which to grow and to offer even broader services to our clients”, notes Medfiles’ President and CEO Tuija Keinonen.
In addition to Japan (Tokyo and Himeji headquarters as well as other offices around Japan), WDB has offices in the United States, India and Singapore.
“This is the network we will utilise for our growth internationally. Medfiles will retain its Finnish identity, and the headquarters will remain in Kuopio, which will act as the headquarters of WDB’s European operations. This is a significant driver for our competitiveness, growth and success. We are very much looking forward to joining our expertise and forces and starting working together with our Japanese colleagues”, says Keinonen.
