Constella Group to Acquire Research Triangle Park Contract Research Organization.

Acquisition of Lineberry Research Associates to Expand Constella's U.S. Regulatory Affairs and Product Development Services

DURHAM, N.C. -- Constella Group, a leading global provider of professional health services, announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Lineberry Research Associates (LRA), a full-service, U.S. contract research organization and consulting firm based in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Founded in 1995, LRA is a leading provider of regulatory affairs, medical writing, product development strategy, clinical trial management and data management services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. LRA employs more than 75 people, all of whom will join Constella's pharmaceutical product development business unit once the acquisition is complete, which is expected to occur within the next 30 days.

This acquisition will provide Constella with greater expansion of its U.S. regulatory, product development, quality assurance, data management, medical writing and clinical trials capabilities. The combined organization will give Constella greater capacity and additional resources to expand its global platform to deliver full service drug development programs toward its vision of enhancing human health around the world, every day.

"With the addition of LRA, Constella will have a stronger regulatory, product development and medical writing presence in the United States as well as expanded clinical and biometrics operations," said Donald A. Holzworth, Constella Group chairman and CEO. "LRA has built a strong reputation in the CRO marketplace and shares our commitment for quality work and strong client relationships. This acquisition is a strategic fit for both organizations, and I look forward to welcoming LRA's employees into Constella."

LRA will begin operating under the Constella Group name in the next few months. Charles Lineberry, chief executive officer, and Cat Lineberry, president, will remain actively involved in the business as chief scientific officer, and vice president of strategic affairs, respectively. They will report to Steve Smith, president of the company's pharmaceutical product development business unit.

"We are proud to join an organization that has such a strong commitment to enhancing human health," said Charles Lineberry, CEO of LRA. "Joining Constella will allow us to provide our clients with broader services, greater geographical reach, particularly in Europe, and increased clinical and data management capabilities in the United States."

"Constella shares our corporate culture and philosophy of building strong client relationships," said Cat Lineberry, president of LRA. "Like LRA, Constella recognizes that its commitment to employees and clients is critical to the continued success of the company."

This announcement follows Constella's acquisition of Origin, a European CRO headquartered in the UK, this past March. Through its acquisition of Origin, Constella expanded its capability to build a global platform to provide contract drug and device development services. Constella acquired four offices with this acquisition, including offices in Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom and in Paris, France and Cologne, Germany.

About Constella Group

Constella Group is a leading provider of professional health services worldwide, dedicated to enhancing human health around the world, every day. Through its work in health sciences, international development and pharmaceutical product development, Constella creates and provides health intelligence to help industry and government clients identify and solve critical problems affecting human health. The company's approximately 1,200 employees serve clients from company headquarters in Durham, N.C., from U.S. offices in Washington, D.C.; Rockville, Md.; Frederick, Md.; Glastonbury, Conn.; Atlanta; and Morgantown, W.Va.; from U.K.-based offices in Bath, Oxford and Cambridge; from offices in Cologne, Germany; Paris, France; and New Delhi, India; and from client sites and other offices across the world. For more information, visit www.constellagroup.com.