Kendle International

What Kendle International does

Kendle International was a Cincinnati-based clinical research organization founded in 1981 that provided a full range of clinical development services. Kendle was acquired by INC Research, which subsequently rebranded as Syneos Health; the data available for this analysis pertains to the Syneos Health successor entity rather than Kendle as a standalone operating company. Syneos Health positions itself as a fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization serving biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies end-to-end, from preclinical and Phase I-IV clinical development through regulatory affairs, drug safety and pharmacovigilance, medical affairs, and full pharmaceutical commercialization (launch strategy, field sales deployment, medical science liaisons, market access, patient support, and healthcare communications).

Its core offerings span Clinical Development (early phase through Phase IV, bioanalytical labs in Miami and Quebec City, real-world evidence/HEOR, decentralized and hybrid trials, FSP 360 functional service provider arrangements), Medical Affairs, Commercial Delivery (deployment solutions, communications, learning, value and access), and Consulting. The technology backbone centers on the SyneosHealth.ai platform integrating clinical, medical affairs, and commercial data, complemented by proprietary tools including Synopsis (clinical trial oversight), KAI Conversations (AI coaching for field forces), AnswerSuite (syndicated biopharmaceutical data), Kinetic (predictive business intelligence), MODAL (AI-powered learning), AI MSL Solutions, StudyEngage (site engagement/feasibility automation), and Evolvics (predictive omnichannel media). Therapeutic depth is emphasized across oncology, cardiovascular/renal/metabolic, neuroscience, immunology, infectious diseases, rare disease, and cell and gene therapy.

Revenue is generated through B2B enterprise professional services on a quote-based engagement model, delivered via direct enterprise field sales and dedicated strategic-partnership account teams. The firm employs 26,000+ globally, including 480+ MDs and 750+ PhDs, and claims involvement in 93% of FDA novel drug approvals and 90% of EMA marketing authorizations over the past five years. Recognitions include the 2025 Everest Group Pharmacovigilance Operations PEAK Matrix Leader designation and PM360 ELITE 100 recognition for firm leaders.

Name

Kendle International

Legal name

Syneos Health

Website

https://kendle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Kendle International was a Cincinnati-based clinical research organization founded in 1981; the input data describes its successor Syneos Health, a fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization providing clinical development, medical affairs, and commercialization services to global biotech and pharmaceutical sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Research Organization (CRO) Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Research, Clinical Trials & Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) (HLAJAOAM)

Keywords

• Clinical research services
• Biopharmaceutical solutions
• Contract research organization
• Drug development services
• Pharmaceutical commercialization

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Clinical Development Services: Full-service clinical development including early phase, Phase II-IV trials, bioanalytical services, regulatory affairs, drug safety and pharmacovigilance, decentralized and hybrid clinical trials, FSP 360 functional service provider solutions
2. Commercial Delivery: Full-service pharmaceutical commercialization including deployment solutions (engagement center, field sales teams, medical science liaisons), healthcare communications, market access and patient support services, drug launch strategy services
3. Medical Affairs: Medical affairs support services for biopharmaceutical companies
4. Consulting Services: Life sciences consulting solutions for biopharma strategy and execution

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kendle International, operating through its successor Syneos Health, is a fully integrated global clinical research organization (CRO) and biopharmaceutical solutions organization providing end-to-end clinical development services (Phase I-IV, bioanalytical, regulatory affairs, drug safety/pharmacovigilance, real world evidence), medical affairs support, and full-service pharmaceutical commercialization (deployment solutions, communications, launch strategy, market access). The company sells these services to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies on a global, enterprise basis, supplemented by proprietary AI/data technology platforms.

Product overview

Syneos Health is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization offering a comprehensive platform of clinical, medical affairs, and commercial services. The core portfolio includes Clinical Development (Phase I-IV trials, bioanalytical services, real world evidence, regulatory affairs, drug safety), Medical Affairs, and Commercial Delivery solutions (full-service commercialization, deployment solutions, communications). The company augments its service offerings with technology-enabled modules including AI MSL Solutions, Healthcare Business Intelligence Platform (Kinetic), AnswerSuite, MODAL, Evolvics, Synopsis, StudyEngage, and KAI Conversations. Their FSP 360 module provides flexible functional service provider arrangements. The organization delivers specialized therapeutic depth across oncology, cardiovascular, neuroscience, immunology, infectious diseases, and rare diseases, having helped develop or commercialize 93% of novel drugs approved by FDA and 90% granted EMA authorization in the last five years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Syneos Health Communications: Healthcare advertising, medical communications, healthcare naming and brand identity, payer marketing, healthcare public relations services
• Synopsis
• AnswerSuite
• Kinetic
• MODAL
• Evolvics
• FSP 360
• StudyEngage
• SyneosHealth.ai
• KAI Conversations

Products and services

• Clinical Development

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of novel drugs approved by FDA in the last five years developed or commercialized with Syneos Health support
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability8 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• VeevacoreTechnology or IntegrationVeeva CDMS implementation partnership providing clinical data management system integration for delivery excellence

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Worldwide Clinical Trials: Worldwide Clinical Trials is a mid-sized global CRO focused on complex therapeutic areas including neuroscience, oncology, and rare diseases. Directly competes with Syneos in mid-sized biopharma engagements, especially where deep therapeutic expertise matters.
• Inotiv: Inotiv provides preclinical CRO services, research models, and contract research supporting drug discovery and development. Comparable to Syneos' early-phase and bioanalytical work, with a smaller scale focused primarily on discovery through early preclinical stages.

Direct peers

• Medpace Holdings: Medpace is a mid-sized CRO focused on full-service clinical development for small and mid-sized biopharma, known for operational efficiency. A direct competitor for Phase II–III clinical trial work, particularly competing on speed and execution quality rather than commercial breadth.
• Parexel International: Parexel is a major mid-to-large CRO also taken private (EQT/Goldman Sachs) in 2021, with strong biopharmaceutical development and commercialization services. Directly competes with Syneos on Phase II–IV, FSP, regulatory, and commercialization engagements, particularly for mid-tier biopharma sponsors.
• IQVIA: IQVIA is the world's largest CRO and biopharma services firm, combining clinical trial execution with proprietary real-world data, analytics, and technology. Directly comparable to Syneos across clinical development, technology-enabled services, and commercial offerings, with deeper scale in data assets.
• ICON plc: ICON is a top-3 global CRO that acquired PRA Health Sciences, expanding its clinical and decentralized trial capabilities. Directly competes with Syneos for Phase II–IV clinical work, FSP engagements, and bioanalytical services across major therapeutic areas.
• Labcorp Drug Development (formerly Covance): Labcorp Drug Development provides global CRO services plus central laboratory and diagnostic capabilities. Directly comparable as a full-service clinical development competitor; the diagnostics/lab integration is a differentiator Syneos lacks but competes against in large bundled RFPs.

Regional players

• WuXi AppTec / WuXi Clinical: WuXi AppTec offers global CRO/CDMO services with significant China-based clinical and laboratory operations. Comparable across preclinical, clinical, and bioanalytical services, with geographic concentration and cost structure that competes especially for Asia-Pacific programs.

Broad incumbents

• Charles River Laboratories: Charles River provides early-stage CRO services, research models, and manufacturing support across the biopharma value chain. Comparable to Syneos' early-phase and preclinical/bioanalytical offerings, with adjacent non-clinical services that Syneos does not provide.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (PPD): Thermo Fisher acquired PPD to add clinical research services to its broader life-sciences instruments, reagents, and pharma services portfolio. Overlaps with Syneos on clinical development and bioanalytical work, with scale advantages from the parent company's instruments and consumables ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kendle-international-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kendle International