Acaster Lloyd Consulting

What Acaster Lloyd Consulting does

Acaster Lloyd Consulting is a UK-based specialist consultancy founded in 2016 by Sarah Acaster and Andrew Lloyd, focused exclusively on patient-centred outcomes research for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The firm delivers eight core service lines: PRO/COA strategy and instrument development, psychometrics (including item response theory, classical test theory, and differential item functioning), analytics and data visualisation, qualitative and mixed-methods research, health utility measurement (vignette studies, mapping, preference-based measures), preference studies (discrete choice experiments), survey development, and medical writing/dissemination. Its work supports regulatory submissions to the FDA and EMA, health technology assessments for bodies such as NICE, label-claim development, and content validity evidence for instruments across rare disease, oncology, dermatology, ophthalmology, and neurology populations.

The company operates as a private, bespoke professional services firm, generating revenue through project-based consulting engagements quoted per engagement. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-enterprise: there are no resellers, marketplaces, or self-serve channels. The firm's go-to-market relies on thought leadership (a "Notes by Acaster Lloyd" newsletter, a "Research Walks" video series, and an active LinkedIn presence), conference presence at ISPOR, ISOQOL, and EuroQol events, and word-of-mouth within the pharma/biotech sector. Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) is executed through a network of patient charity/advocacy group partners (e.g., The Brain Tumour Charity, Metabolic Support UK, Myeloma Canada) that review materials, assist with recruitment, and disseminate findings. In 2025 the firm completed a transition to a UK Employee Ownership Trust, with founders stepping back to research and trustee roles and Kate Williams and Tom Booth appointed as Co-Managing Directors.

Name

Acaster Lloyd Consulting

Legal name

Acaster Lloyd Consulting Limited

Website

https://acasterlloyd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Acaster Lloyd Consulting is a UK-based specialist consultancy (founded 2016) providing patient-centred outcomes research, including PRO/COA strategy, psychometrics, health utility measurement, and qualitative research, to pharmaceutical and biotech clients globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Economics & Outcomes Research (HEOR) Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAGAAAL

Specialty Therapeutic-Area CROs (e.g., oncology/rare disease)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Contract Research Organizations (CRO)

SECONDARYBPAHACAM

Innovation, Product & R&D Consulting

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Management Consulting

Keywords

• Patient outcomes research
• Health economics consulting
• Clinical outcome assessment
• Health technology assessment
• Psychometric research services

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, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consultancy and Research Services: Project-based consulting and research engagements for biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Services include PRO/COA strategy, instrument development, psychometrics, health utilities research, preference studies, qualitative research, analytics, survey development, and medical writing. Engagements are bespoke and typically scoped per client project.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Acaster Lloyd Consulting is a specialist consultancy delivering bespoke patient-centred outcomes research to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Its core services span PRO/COA strategy and instrument development, psychometric analysis, health utility research, qualitative and mixed-methods studies, preference studies, survey design, and medical writing. Engagements are project-based and tailored to support drug development, FDA/EMA regulatory submissions, and HTA filings with bodies such as NICE.

Product overview

Acaster Lloyd Consulting is a patient-centred outcomes research consultancy offering a comprehensive suite of research and analytical services to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The core offering consists of eight interconnected service lines: PRO/COA Strategy and Instrument Development, Psychometrics, Analytics & Data Visualisation, Qualitative and Mixed-Methods Research, Health Utilities, Preference Studies, Survey Development, and Medical Writing and Dissemination. The company also produces educational content through its 'Notes by Acaster Lloyd' newsletter and 'Research Walks' video series. The services are delivered by a team with expertise in health economics, psychometrics, and clinical outcome assessment, supporting drug development and health technology assessment submissions globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PRO/COA Strategy and Instrument Development Comprehensive strategy and development services for Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO) and Clinical Outcome Assessment (COA) instruments, addressing stakeholder needs from patients to regulators for pharmaceutical and biotech clients.
• Psychometrics Psychometric analysis services including classical test theory, item response theory, differential item functioning analysis, and measure validation for PRO/COA instruments used in clinical trials.
• Analytics & Data Visualisation Secondary data analysis of COA data from clinical trials, statistical analysis services, and custom data visualisation for stakeholder communication.
• Qualitative and Mixed-Methods Research Qualitative research services including concept elicitation interviews, cognitive interviews, focus groups, and mixed-methods studies to understand patient and caregiver experiences for pharmaceutical and biotech clients.
• Health Utilities Health utility measurement and valuation services for HTA submissions, including vignette studies, mapping studies, and development of preference-based measures.
• Preference Studies Discrete choice experiments and other preference elicitation methods to understand patient treatment preferences and risk tolerance for pharma and biotech sponsors.
• Survey Development Bespoke survey design services for capturing patient, caregiver, and healthcare professional perspectives outside of clinical trial settings.
• Medical Writing and Dissemination Professional medical writing services including manuscript writing, abstract development, slide decks, white papers, infographics, and dissemination strategy for pharma and biotech clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Conducted approximately 10 studies comparing EQ-5D vignette ratings vs TTO methods, consistently finding EQ-5D scores 0.10-0.15 lower than TTO values for the same health states
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and community.

• Carbon Neutral GroupsupportingOthersPartnership for carbon calculations, reporting, and guidance to support the company's carbon footprint assessment, carbon-reduction target setting, and journey to Net Zero by 2030. Offsetting projects are implemented in collaboration with Carbon Neutral Group and the United Nations.
• EcoVadiscoreOthersEcoVadis is a global leader in business sustainability ratings. Acaster Lloyd holds a certification with EcoVadis as part of its accountability and external partnership framework for sustainability.
• United NationssupportingOthersCarbon offsetting projects are implemented in collaboration with the United Nations (alongside Carbon Neutral Group), ensuring the highest quality of credits while contributing to communities socially, economically, and environmentally.
• Solace (Women's Aid)communityStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolace is a charity helping stop gender-based violence and supporting survivors (women and children) with safe places, emotional support, legal advice, and housing. Acaster Lloyd provides free research services for Solace's campaigns and raises money through events. In return, Solace offers Acaster Lloyd their Corporate Training Program to support a safe work culture.
• XLHUK (Haemophilia UK)supportingOthersPatient charity partnership. XLHUK reviews Acaster Lloyd's research materials, helps find participants for studies, and sometimes shares findings. This is part of Acaster Lloyd's approach to Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) in research.
• Metabolic Support UKsupportingOthersPatient charity partnership. Metabolic Support UK collaborates with Acaster Lloyd to review research materials, assist with participant recruitment, and share research findings as part of PPI activities.
• The Brain Tumour CharitysupportingOthersPatient charity partnership. The Brain Tumour Charity collaborates with Acaster Lloyd on research materials review, participant recruitment, and dissemination of findings within PPI frameworks.
• LHON SocietysupportingOthersPatient charity partnership. LHON Society works with Acaster Lloyd on research materials review, participant recruitment, and sharing of research findings as part of PPI activities.
• Myeloma CanadasupportingOthersPatient charity partnership. Myeloma Canada collaborates with Acaster Lloyd on research materials review, participant recruitment, and dissemination of findings within PPI frameworks.
• FSHD SocietysupportingOthersPatient charity partnership. FSHD Society collaborates with Acaster Lloyd on research materials review, participant recruitment, and sharing of findings as part of PPI activities.
• Foundation Fighting BlindnesssupportingOthersPatient charity partnership. Foundation Fighting Blindness works with Acaster Lloyd on research materials review, participant recruitment, and dissemination of findings within PPI frameworks.
• MLD Support UKsupportingOthersPatient charity partnership. MLD Support UK collaborates with Acaster Lloyd on research materials review, participant recruitment, and sharing of research findings as part of PPI activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• IQVIA: IQVIA's Real World Solutions and Patient-Centred Solutions groups offer PRO/COA strategy, psychometric analysis, and HTA support to pharma as part of a vast CRO and data services portfolio — competing with Acaster Lloyd on enterprise-level outcomes research.
• Parexel International: Large global CRO with dedicated HEOR, market access, and patient-centred outcomes consulting practices serving pharma/biotech clients across regulatory and HTA submissions — overlapping with Acaster Lloyd's service lines as part of a broader portfolio.
• ICON plc (Commercial & Strategic Solutions, formerly Mapi/PRA Health): ICON acquired Mapi Research Trust and broader HEOR/PRO capabilities, offering PRO instrument licensing, translation, and outcomes consulting alongside its larger CRO portfolio, competing with Acaster Lloyd for pharma outcomes research engagements.
• Clarivate (formerly DRG/Disease Risk Gauges): Clarivate offers custom HEOR, PRO/COA research, and real-world evidence services within its broader life-sciences analytics portfolio, competing with Acaster Lloyd on pharma evidence-generation engagements.

Direct peers

• York Health Economics Consortium (YHEC): YHEC is a UK-based health economics and PRO research consultancy serving pharma, HTA agencies, and academia — a closely comparable regional peer offering overlapping outcomes research and psychometric services.
• Evidera (Thermo Fisher Scientific): Evidera is the largest dedicated HEOR/PRO consulting and evidence synthesis firm, serving pharma and biotech on patient-centred outcomes, HTA submissions, and regulatory PRO strategies — a direct competitor to Acaster Lloyd across the same client base and service lines.
• Avalere Health: Avalere is an advisory firm providing HEOR, market access, and PRO strategy support to pharma/biotech and patient advocacy groups — directly comparable to Acaster Lloyd's regulatory and HTA submission advisory work.
• Putnam Associates: Putnam is an independent consulting firm focused on HEOR, market access, and pricing strategy for pharma/biotech — a closely comparable specialised peer to Acaster Lloyd in both client base and evidence-based consulting approach.

Regional players

• Cogentia Healthcare Consulting: Cogentia is a UK-based HEOR and market access consultancy supporting pharma with HTA submissions, value dossiers, and evidence generation — a regional peer offering overlapping services to UK and EU pharma clients.

Emerging players

• Analytica Laser (Laser): Laser is a niche consultancy providing HTA submissions, health economics modeling, and patient-centred evidence strategy for smaller pharma/biotech clients — an emerging peer focused on the same regulatory and reimbursement evidence workflow.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acaster-lloyd

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Acaster Lloyd Consulting