Peninsula Research Associates

What Peninsula Research Associates does

Peninsula Research Associates (PRA) is a dedicated clinical trial site founded in 1999 by Lawrence D. Sher, M.D., and headquartered in a 7,000 square foot facility at 550 Deep Valley Drive, Rolling Hills Estates, California. The company conducts Phase I-IV clinical trials on a contract basis for pharmaceutical and biotechnology sponsors across therapeutic areas including allergy and immunology, asthma, dermatology (atopic dermatitis, eczema, vitiligo), vaccines (influenza, COVID-19, RSV, pneumonia, pandemic flu, acne), infectious disease, endocrine/metabolism (obesity, diabetes), gastroenterology, and respiratory medicine. PRA's operating model pairs a specialized clinical research facility with a referral pipeline from its affiliated Palos Verdes Medical Group and community-based recruitment across the South Bay/Los Angeles region.

PRA's service stack centers on its physical and operational infrastructure: an on-site PBMC isolation laboratory, dual -80°C and one -20°C freezer cold-chain storage, dedicated vaccine refrigerators with 24/7 temperature monitoring, spirometry with methacholine challenge capability, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, FENO measurement, EKG, and specialty procedures such as double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges and skin prick testing. Trial operations are managed through the CRIO clinical trial management system, which tracks recruitment pipelines and subject visit windows. PRA does not build software products; its "technology" is principally a combination of regulated medical equipment, a clinical operations platform, and a 25-year subject database accumulated through community outreach, social media recruitment, and physician referrals.

The company's revenue model is professional services: per-study contracts with pharmaceutical sponsors covering patient recruitment, trial execution, data collection, and regulatory compliance. Sponsor relationships span AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Sanofi, Regeneron, and Aimmune, among others, indicating a diversified but sponsor-dependent revenue base. PRA operates as a subsidiary of Headlands Research, a multi-site clinical research organization providing operational and strategic support. Study participation is free to volunteers, who may receive time-and-travel compensation; specific compensation schedules are not publicly disclosed. The company's track record includes PI experience on 200+ trials since 1999, with participation in trials supporting FDA approvals such as Palforzia (peanut allergy) and Dupixent/dupilumab (atopic dermatitis and asthma).

Name

Peninsula Research Associates

Legal name

Peninsula Research Associates

Website

https://peninsularesearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Peninsula Research Associates is a Phase I-IV clinical trial site in Rolling Hills Estates, CA, conducting studies for pharmaceutical sponsors across allergy, respiratory, dermatology, vaccine, and metabolic therapeutic areas. It operates as a subsidiary of Headlands Research, serving the South Bay Los Angeles community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rolling Hills Estates

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Clinical Research Services: PRA conducts clinical trials under contract with pharmaceutical companies and sponsors. Revenue is generated through per-study contracts where sponsors pay for research services including patient recruitment, trial execution, data collection, and regulatory compliance. The company operates as a clinical trial site conducting Phase 1-4 studies across multiple therapeutic areas.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Peninsula Research Associates (PRA) is a dedicated clinical research organization that conducts Phase I-IV clinical trials for pharmaceutical sponsors. The company recruits, enrolls, and evaluates study participants across multiple therapeutic areas including vaccines, allergy, asthma, dermatology, infectious disease, and obesity, operating from a 7,000 square foot facility in Rolling Hills Estates, CA.

Product overview

Peninsula Research Associates (PRA) is a dedicated clinical research organization (CRO) that conducts Phase I-IV clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies. The company operates as a unified service offering centered on clinical trial execution across multiple therapeutic areas. PRA's product portfolio consists of distinct clinical trial services organized by indication, including vaccine trials (Acne, COVID-19/Influenza, Influenza, Pandemic Flu, Pneumonia, RSV), therapeutic area trials (Food Allergies, Obesity, Pediatric Vitiligo), and studies for healthy populations (Healthy Older Adults). The company also maintains core infrastructure through its 7,000 square foot clinical research facility equipped with specialized medical equipment and PBMC laboratory capabilities. Research is conducted across diverse therapeutic indications including Allergy, Dermatology, Cardiovascular, Endocrine/Metabolism, Gastroenterology, Infectious Disease, Neurological, Pain, Respiratory, and Vaccines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Acne Vaccine Clinical Trials Clinical research studies evaluating potential acne vaccines that may help reduce breakouts and improve skin health for individuals aged 18-45 with moderate to severe acne.
• COVID-19/Influenza Vaccine Clinical Trials Clinical research studies exploring new combination COVID-19 and flu vaccines for healthy adults aged 18 and older, aimed at simplifying and strengthening seasonal protection.
• Food Allergy Clinical Trials Clinical research studies exploring new therapies for food allergies including peanut, milk, and egg allergies for individuals aged 12-65, aimed at mitigating allergic reactions including anaphylaxis.
• Influenza Vaccine Clinical Trials Clinical research studies for influenza (flu) vaccines seeking participants aged 18 and older.
• Obesity Clinical Trials Multiple clinical trials for adults living with obesity, including those with Type 2 Diabetes, evaluating new treatment options for BMI 30+ or BMI 27+ with related health conditions.
• Pandemic Flu Vaccine Clinical Trials Clinical research studies focused on pandemic flu vaccines targeting bird flu strains for healthy adults aged 18 and older, aimed at protecting global health.
• Pediatric Vitiligo Clinical Trials Clinical research study evaluating a potential topical treatment for children ages 2-11 with vitiligo, a skin condition causing loss of pigment.
• Pneumonia Vaccine Clinical Trials Clinical research studies evaluating new vaccines designed to help protect against pneumococcal disease, seeking healthy adults ages 65-85 who have never received a pneumococcal vaccine.
• RSV Vaccine Clinical Trials Clinical research studies evaluating potential new vaccines to help prevent RSV infection for healthy adults ages 18-75 who have not previously received an RSV vaccine.
• Healthy Older Adults Clinical Trials Clinical studies focused on brain health, aging, memory, and overall wellness for healthy adults ages 55-80.
• Clinical Research Facility Operations A 7,000 square foot dedicated clinical research facility including four examination rooms, staff offices, large conference room, on-site long-term storage for record archives, locked drug room, and PBMC lab with advanced medical equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 clinical trials conducted since 1999, contributing to FDA approvals of medications including Palforzia for peanut allergy and Dupilumab for atopic dermatitis/asthma

Named customers2 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

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AimmuneminorOthersPharmaceutical company specializing in food allergy treatments. PRA has conducted clinical trials for Aimmune's therapies, including Palforzia (peanut allergy immunotherapy).
• AstraZenecaminorOthersGlobal pharmaceutical company. PRA has conducted respiratory and vaccine trials in partnership with AstraZeneca.
• Bristol-Myers SquibbminorOthersPharmaceutical company. PRA has conducted clinical trials sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb across various therapeutic areas.
• GlaxoSmithKlineminorOthersGlobal healthcare company. PRA has conducted vaccine and respiratory trials with GlaxoSmithKline.
• MerckminorOthersPharmaceutical company. PRA has conducted clinical trials sponsored by Merck.
• NovartisminorOthersGlobal pharmaceutical company. PRA has conducted clinical trials in partnership with Novartis.
• PfizerminorOthersPharmaceutical company. PRA has conducted vaccine and various therapeutic trials with Pfizer.
• RegeneronminorOthersBiotechnology company. PRA has conducted clinical trials for Dupilumab and other Regeneron therapies.
• Sanofi AventisminorOthersGlobal pharmaceutical company. PRA has conducted clinical trials sponsored by Sanofi.
• Headlands ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of Peninsula Research Associates. Headlands Research is a clinical research organization providing operational support, infrastructure, and strategic direction to PRA and other research sites.
• Palos Verdes Medical GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-specialty private practice associated with PRA. Dr. Sher and PRA staff provide primary care services at PVMG, and the practice serves as a referral source for clinical trial participants.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Flourish Research: Flourish Research is an emerging multi-site clinical research organization across multiple therapeutic areas. Comparable to PRA in site-based clinical trial services and contract research model, though with a younger track record.
• PMG Research: PMG Research operates an integrated multi-site clinical research network running trials across multiple therapeutic areas. Comparable to PRA in site-based clinical trial services model, sponsor relationships, and therapeutic area breadth.
• Worldwide Clinical Trials: Worldwide Clinical Trials (formerly WCCT Global) is a global CRO with strong Phase I and specialty clinical research capabilities. Comparable to PRA in clinical trial execution services and therapeutic area diversification across allergy, respiratory, and vaccine indications.
• Celerion: Celerion is a clinical research organization specializing in early-phase clinical research and bioanalytical services. Comparable to PRA in clinical trial execution capabilities and contract research services revenue model, though typically focused on Phase I operations.
• Velocity Clinical Research: Velocity Clinical Research is a multi-specialty clinical research site network operating across numerous therapeutic areas. It directly competes with PRA by offering sponsors multi-region Phase I-IV trial execution with comparable site infrastructure and sponsor contracting model.
• Benchmark Research: Benchmark Research operates independent clinical trial sites focused on multi-specialty trial execution. Comparable to PRA in site-based clinical research model and Phase II-IV trial services across diverse therapeutic areas.
• Evolution Research Group: Evolution Research Group (ERG) is a multi-specialty clinical research site network. Directly comparable to PRA in site-based Phase I-IV clinical research services across diverse therapeutic areas, with similar sponsor relationships and revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• Medpace: Medpace is a mid-sized global CRO offering full-service clinical trial execution. Comparable to PRA in clinical trial services but at vastly larger scale with broader therapeutic area coverage and a global footprint.
• ICON plc: ICON plc is a major global CRO offering comprehensive clinical trial services including site management. Competes with PRA for sponsor trial allocation decisions and operates at vastly larger scale across the full CRO value chain.
• IQVIA: IQVIA is the largest global CRO with proprietary site networks and technology platforms. Competes with PRA for sponsor trials and operates at much greater scale with broader capabilities across the clinical research value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/socalmedtrials
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/peninsula-research

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 Peninsula Research Associates