Raleigh-based CRO Caidya expands global reach with UK-based CRO

Caidya, a global clinical research organization based in Raleigh, has announced it is combining with UK-based CRO Simbec-Orion to create a new platform to accelerate drug development programs and international scale-up. The combined company will operate under the Caidya name, the announcement said.

Barbara Lopez Kunz, Caidya’s chief executive officer, praised pairing the Simbec-Orion and Caidya teams. 

“This strategic combination brings together complementary strengths to create a more complete development partner for innovators,” she said. It also expands the company’s reach across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and China. 

The combined entity will allow Caidya’s global platform to leverage Simbec-Orion’s European presence and early-phase expertise, Lopez added. “We can support [trial] sponsors from first-in-human through registration while helping them thrive where development becomes most difficult: at the intersection of scientific innovation, operational complexity, and global clinical execution.”

“We are pleased to be joining forces with Caidya – which shares so much of our common culture,” said Fabrice Chartier, Simbec-Orion’s chief executive officer. It will create a CRO, “that combines the intimacy of a specialist partner with the reach of a global development organization to meet the needs of modern drug development.” 

Kunz will lead the organization as CEO, with Chartier continuing to lead Simbec-Orion’s operations as part of the combined company. 

$165 million private equity propels growth

The stage for this strategic match was set in January 2025, when Caidya announced $165 million in private equity from funds managed by Rubicon Founders, a Nashville, Tennessee-based healthcare investment firm. Rubicon joined Caidya’s existing backers, which include global venture capital, other private equity and healthcare investors. 

Lingshi Tan, Ph.D., Caidya’s executive board chairman, recognized the Rubicon investment as pivotal to the company’s future growth. “This substantial investor support comes at a unique inflection point to propel Caidya to the next level,” he said of the 2025 Rubicon announcement.

In the June 30 announcement, Tan said, “Simbec-Orion has built a reputation for excellence in clinical research, particularly in navigating the complexities of early-phase development and European regulatory environments.

“By integrating their expertise with Caidya’s global reach and deep therapeutic experience, we are uniquely positioned to support the growing trend of cross-border biopharma innovation, particularly the dual-direction flow of therapies among the U.S., Europe, and Asia,” Tan added.

‘Coming together around a shared vision’

From Caidya’s LinkedIn post about the announcement: “Great organizations aren't built by transactions, they're built by people coming together around a shared vision. … “The strategic combination of Caidya and Simbec-Orion represents more than growth. It brings together complementary expertise, global capabilities, and a shared commitment to advancing clinical research with greater agility, innovation and impact.”

With a strategic footprint across important global markets, “Caidya continues its mission to partner with drug developers to bring life-changing therapies to patients worldwide,” the company said.

Caidya was formed in 2021 by the merger of dMed, a full-service CRO based in Shanghai, and Morrisville-based CRO Clinipace. In late 2022, the merged entity was re-branded as Caidya.

To read more about Caidya:

Caidya secures $165M investment for growth | North Carolina Biotechnology Center