United Bus. Media acquires Cliggott Publ. & Oncology Gp. from SCP Comm.

United Business Media (UBM; London), through its CMP Healthcare Media (San Francsico, CA) division, has acquired The Oncology Group (New York) and Cliggott Publishing (Darien, CT) from SCP Communications (New York) for $37.5 million in cash.

UBM said the purchase price is eight times forecast 2004 operating profit for the acquired properties. Established in 1982, SCP is a venture capital-supported healthcare publishing group. The company acquired both The Oncology Group, then called PRR, Inc. (Melville, NY), and Cliggott Publishing (Greenwich, CT) in 1998.

Cliggott produces flagship Consultant, a monthly journal for primary care physicians, as well as Infections in Medicine, The Journal of Respiratory Diseases, The Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine, Drug Benefit Trends, The Journal of Critical Illness and The AIDS Reader. The company also produces relevant information as supplements, CD-ROMs and custom periodicals for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and managed care administrators and professionals.

The Oncology Group publishes the journals Oncology and Oncology News International, the Myths & Facts handbook series for patients, supplements, handbooks, textbooks, videos, and CD-ROM programs on key oncology issues. The Cancer Information Network (cancer-network.com), the unit's online publishing arm, publishes the full text of all Group titles.

UBM said the acquired properties will provide "an ideal platform" for the further expansion of CMP Healthcare's continuing medical education business into the oncology sector. UBM said the oncology web site has over 45,000 registered specialists.

CMP Healthcare Media revenues increased 14% in the first half of 2003, UBM said. The company produces, in San Francisco and through divisions CME, Inc. (Irvine, CA) and MEDReach (Irvine, CA), Journals and related materials in the fields of psychiatry, geriatric care, medical imaging and orthopedics. Journal titles include Psychiatric Times, Geriatric Times, Diagnostic Imaging, Diagnostic Imaging Europe and Biomechanics.