clinical-research-organization
(3)
Medpace
The Cincinnati CRO built a $2.5 billion business by taking on clinical trials that young biotechs cannot run alone - and by keeping the scientists, software, labs and logistics under one roof.
HiRO - Harvest Integrated Research Organization
HiRO (Harvest Integrated Research Organization) is a full-service, globally oriented clinical research organization founded in 2020 that helps biotech companies run clinical trials across borders. Positioning itself as an 'integrated' rather than a traditional 'contract' research organization, HiRO connects Asian biotechs seeking trials outside their region with US and European sponsors wanting to run studies in Asia. Backed by a tens-of-millions-of-dollars Series A led by OrbiMed and built out through three CRO acquisitions, it offers end-to-end services from preclinical strategy to regulatory submission, with deep expertise in oncology and rare disease.
Karen Chu
Karen Chu is the founder and CEO of HiRO (Harvest Integrated Research Organization), a boutique global contract research organization that bridges clinical trials between Asia, the US, and Europe. A PharmD who spent nearly two decades at Parexel running global clinical operations across 50-plus countries, she launched HiRO in 2020 to help Asian biotechs run trials abroad and Western firms run trials in Asia. Under her leadership the company has expanded through acquisitions including Courante Oncology in the US and PharmaSols in Australia and New Zealand, while positioning itself as global in reach but deliberately mid-sized in ambition.