Strategic acquisition marks significant step to establish pan-European footprint and deepens expertise in oncology and early-phase biotech clinical trials.
Comac Medical Group (“Group”), based in the UK and backed by EdgeCap Partners, announced today the acquisition of ILIFE Consulting (“ILIFE”), a specialized Contract Research Organization (CRO) headquartered in Paris, France, renowned for its expertise in oncology, rare diseases, and complex biotech clinical trials.
The transaction represents a significant milestone for the Group on its journey to becoming the leading pan-European full-service CRO partner for small and medium-sized biopharma companies, and complements recent expansions into the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Founded in 2013 by Marina Iché, ILIFE has built a distinguished reputation for delivering high-value strategic consulting alongside clinical trial execution for biotech sponsors. ILIFE’s addition to the Group will leverage complementary expertise and reach, thus creating new opportunities for clients, who will benefit from a complete service offering, including enhanced capabilities in biostatistics, data management, pharmacovigilance, bioanalytical services, and Comac Medical’s state-of-the-art Early Phase Clinical Research Unit.
ILIFE’s founder and CEO, Marina Iché, will continue in her leadership role and become a significant shareholder in the Group to support strategic growth initiatives and to maintain continuity of ILIFE’s values and services that have driven its success positioning it as a trusted partner in the biotech ecosystem.
Marina Iché, Founder and CEO of ILIFE Consulting, stated:
“Partnering with EdgeCap and Comac Medical Group marks an exciting new chapter for ILIFE. We share a deep commitment to quality, innovation, client-centric and agile service delivery. We mobilize our resources and energy to ensure successful partnerships with our clients. We listen and capitalize on our expertise to identify and bring the best solutions to support our clients in achieving their goals productively and efficiently. Joining forces allows us to leverage additional resources, broaden our service portfolio, and better serve our clients across Europe and beyond. We rely on the competence and integrity of our team whose dedication and energy drive us to work swiftly towards obtaining actionable results. I remain fully committed to ensuring continuity in ILIFE’s services while pursuing our mission to bring meaningful innovation to patients.”
Chris Smyth, Incoming CEO of Comac Medical Group, said:
“ILIFE Consulting’s expertise and established presence in the French biotech ecosystem significantly strengthen our capabilities as part of the Group. I look forward to working closely with Marina and the ILIFE team as we collaborate to create meaningful value for our stakeholders and deliver excellence across our expanded geographic and therapeutic landscape.”
Today’s announcement closely follows the Group’s recent leadership appointments and international expansion initiatives, including new executive appointments – Dr. Chris Smyth as incoming CEO (effective 1st September 2025), Christian Buhlmann as Chief Commercial Officer, and Peter Windisch as Chief Operations Officer – and Neil Ferguson as Chairman of the Board.
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