Richmond Pharmacology Ltd

What Richmond Pharmacology Ltd does

Richmond Pharmacology Ltd is a UK-based, founder-led early-phase Contract Research Organisation (CRO) established in 2001 by Dr Jorg Taubel and Dr Ulrike Lorch, headquartered in a hospital-integrated clinical research facility on the site of Guy's Hospital in London. The company operates an MHRA-accredited Phase I unit spanning 84 beds and supports clinical trials from first-in-human through Phase III, with documented first-mover positions in LNP CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing (2020) and base-editing trials (2023, with Verve Therapeutics). It serves pharmaceutical and biotechnology sponsors — including top-10 pharma firms — with a horizontal full-service offering covering adaptive Phase I/II and Phase III studies, Thorough QT/QTc cardiac safety, ethnic bridging studies (especially for PMDA submissions), patient recruitment (310,000+ registered participants; 25,000+ first-generation Japanese volunteers), clinical data management, pharmacovigilance, regulatory strategy, pharmacy, and laboratory services via The Doctors Laboratory.

Underlying technology is a horizontally integrated platform rather than a single software product: an MHRA-licensed clinical pharmacy with controlled-drug handling, a Core ECG Laboratory embedded within St George's Hospital Medical School under Professor John Camm, an integrated data management capability supporting adaptive protocols, and a wholly-owned academic subsidiary (Richmond Research Institute, established January 2020) conducting research in under-researched therapeutic areas. The Trials4Us recruitment brand functions as both a service and a marketing channel providing the patient-pool data asset that differentiates the firm from competitors on recruitment speed (claimed 2-10x faster).

The business model is B2B project-based professional services — sponsors contract directly for trial design, conduct, data management, and regulatory support, with pricing quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct enterprise sales through a dedicated business development team and project managers as single points of contact, with awareness generated through the corporate website (English and Japanese), LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter/X, and industry conferences. Customer logos include Intellia Therapeutics, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Verve Therapeutics, Chiesi Pharmaceuticals, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical, and the National Amyloidosis Centre (Royal Free Hospital). An Expert Regulatory Advisory Board chaired by former MHRA Senior Medical Assessor Dr Lisa Campbell was established in February 2025 to institutionalize regulator-to-sponsor advisory services.

Name

Richmond Pharmacology Ltd

Legal name

Richmond Pharmacology Limited

Website

https://richmondpharmacology.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Richmond Pharmacology is a UK-based, founder-led early-phase Contract Research Organisation (CRO) founded in 2001, providing first-in-human through Phase III clinical trial services to pharmaceutical and biotech sponsors, with pioneering expertise in CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing and Japanese ethnic bridging studies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical Research Services (Early Phase CRO)

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical CROs (Phase I–IV) (HLAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Therapeutic-Area CROs (e.g., oncology/rare disease) (HLAGAAAL), Patient Recruitment, Site Feasibility & Trial Enablement CROs (HLAGAAAI), Clinical Data Management, Biostatistics & Statistical Programming CROs (HLAGAAAF), Pharmacovigilance, Risk Management & Medical Affairs CROs (HLAGAAAH)

Keywords

• Clinical trial services
• Early phase CRO
• First-in-human studies
• Gene editing trials
• Contract research organization

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Clinical Research Services: Contract research organization providing early phase clinical trial services including Phase I, II, and III studies to pharmaceutical and biotech sponsors. Revenue generated through project-based contracts for clinical trial design, conduct, data management, and regulatory support services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Richmond Pharmacology Ltd is a full-service early phase Contract Research Organisation (CRO) that designs, conducts, and supports first-in-human, Phase I, II, and III clinical trials for pharmaceutical and biotechnology sponsors. The company operates an MHRA-accredited, hospital-integrated 84-bed facility in central London and provides adaptive trial protocols, cardiac safety (TQT/QTc), ethnic bridging studies, gene editing and RNA interference trials, patient recruitment, clinical data management, regulatory strategy, pharmacovigilance, pharmacy, and laboratory services under a single integrated model.

Product overview

Richmond Pharmacology Ltd operates as a full-service Contract Research Organisation (CRO) offering integrated clinical research services. The company provides a unified portfolio of specialist services including Adaptive Phase I & II Studies, Phase III Clinical Studies, TQT Studies, Bridging Studies, Patient Recruitment, Clinical Data Management, Gene Editing & Gene Silencing, Regulatory Strategy Services, and Pharmacovigilance. These specialist services are supported by full-service capabilities including Protocol Writing & CRF Design, Regulatory Applications, Pharmacy, and Laboratory services. The integrated model enables sponsors to conduct early-phase clinical trials from first-in-human to proof-of-concept under one year, with all services delivered at the company's MHRA-accredited facility in London.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Richmond Research Institute: Academic research institute established to provide formal setting for academic studies in under-researched areas

Products and services

• Adaptive Phase I & II Studies Adaptive clinical trial design services for Phase I and II studies delivered in MHRA-accredited facilities. Enables flexible protocol modifications, rapid approvals, and efficient dose escalation, supporting First-in-Human to Proof-of-Concept progression under one year. Targeted at pharmaceutical and biotechnology sponsors.
• Phase III Clinical Studies Randomized Phase III clinical trial services for large patient populations across multiple therapy areas. Features accelerated patient recruitment and hospital-style clinical settings, and has been delivered across therapy areas including Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy and the MAGNITUDE Phase 3 CRISPR-Cas3 study.
• TQT Studies (Thorough QT/QTc) Cardiac safety assessment services including Thorough QT and QTc studies, ECG analysis, and cardiology overreading delivered from the in-house Core ECG Laboratory at St George's Hospital Medical School. Uses FDA-compliant analysis methods with non-pharmacological assay sensitivity and 4-6 week start-up times.
• Bridging Studies Ethnic bridging studies designed to reduce PMDA approval timelines. Provides access to over 25,000 active first-generation Japanese subjects and dedicated expertise in Japanese regulatory requirements, with over 100 bridging studies completed to date.
• Patient Recruitment

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 clinical trials completed with 30 medicines brought to market
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Verve TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration to test Verve-102, a potential one-and-done base editing gene therapy for familial hypercholesterolaemia. This represents Richmond's pioneering work in base editing clinical trials.
• Intellia TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Partnership with Intellia Therapeutics and Royal Free Hospital to conduct the world's first trial involving LNP CRISPR-Cas9 therapy to treat ATTR amyloidosis. Richmond served as the clinical site for this landmark gene editing trial. The partnership has continued with the Phase 3 MAGNITUDE study announced in March 2024.
• National Amyloidosis Centre (Royal Free Hospital)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 201610-year collaboration positioning Richmond as the largest recruiter for gene editing trials. Created a new, more efficient model for identifying potential patients with amyloidosis and other rare diseases.
• Genes for Health InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Genes for Health initiative to reach underrepresented groups in clinical research, including people of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage who have poorer health outcomes in clinical research. Goal is to make innovative therapies accessible to everyone.
• Dr Lisa Campbell (Expert Regulatory Advisory Board Chair)coreOthersFormer MHRA Senior Medical Assessor Dr Lisa Campbell chairs the Expert Regulatory Advisory Board, bringing together former senior regulators from UK and EU authorities to help clients navigate complex regulatory environments.
• Academic Institutions and Medical OrganisationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic collaborations with academic institutions and medical organisations providing connections with network of specialist consultants, professors, and skilled medical practitioners. Enhances ability to conduct cutting-edge research.
• St George's Hospital Medical SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRichmond Pharmacology's Core ECG Laboratory team are based within St George's Hospital Medical School, London. Team is headed by Professor John Camm, a key opinion leader in TQT Trials.
• The Doctors Laboratory (TDL)coreTechnology or IntegrationTDL is the central laboratory contracted by Richmond Pharmacology for majority of studies. Fully CPA accredited laboratory providing regulatory compliant services including biochemistry, haematology, virology and microbiology.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Celerion: US-headquartered early-phase clinical CRO specializing in first-in-human, Phase I/II studies, ADME, and bioanalytical services. Highly comparable niche specialist competing for the same FIH sponsor relationships.
• Worldwide Clinical Trials: Mid-size full-service CRO with strong early-development/scientific capabilities. Comparable in flexible adaptive protocols and rare-disease early-phase experience.
• Quotient Sciences: UK-based early-phase/translational CRO with integrated formulation-to-clinic capabilities. Direct overlap in early-phase healthy volunteer studies, adaptive trial design, and pharma/Biotech sponsor services.
• Hammersmith Medicines Research: UK-based Phase I/early-phase CRO historically strong in vaccine and gene-therapy FIH studies. Direct geographic and service-line competitor for hospital-integrated FIH work.
• Biotrial: European early-phase CRO running FIH and Phase I studies across multiple hospital-integrated facilities. Competes for the same biotech and large-pharma FIH sponsors.

Broad incumbents

• Medpace: Mid-size full-service CRO with global Phase I–IV operations. Larger and broader than Richmond but competes head-to-head for biotech early-phase and adaptive trial work.
• Parexel International: Global full-service CRO with Phase I capabilities and strong cell & gene therapy practice. Competes with Richmond for biotech FIH mandates at larger contract sizes.
• IQVIA: Largest global CRO with Phase I biotech unit. Represents both a competitor and a destination for sponsor consolidation that could absorb Richmond's standalone Phase I work.
• ICON plc: One of the largest global CROs (post-PRA Health Sciences and PRA combination) offering end-to-end Phase I–IV services. A scaled incumbent peer; sponsors increasingly consolidate to ICON for full-service continuity.
• Charles River Laboratories: Global CRO/CDMO with early-discovery and Phase I services. Broad incumbent competing for cell/gene therapy and rare-disease sponsor relationships, including alongside their biologics testing capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/richmondpharma
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzeDi76BErqe6ybcwYbf0ug
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/richmond-pharmacology
• Facebookfacebook.com/228016420683272

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Richmond Pharmacology Ltd